Hong Kong Society of Accountants

Sir Gordon MacWhinnie, JP (12 November 1922 – 18 July 2007) was a key figure in Hong Kong before its return to the PRC.

MacWhinnie founded the Hong Kong Society of Accountants, serving as its President from 1973–74, which earned him the unofficial title “father of modern accountancy in Hong Kong”. He was chairman of several companies, a member of government committees and the driving force behind the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Gordon Menzies MacWhinnie (sometimes spelled as Macwhinnie) was born in Tramore, Ireland, his father having relocated from Scotland. His father started work as a stockbroker in London and the family moved again, this time to Chipstead, Surrey. He was educated at the Westminster School.

During World War II MacWhinnie served as a captain with Number 1 Commando with 3 Commando Brigade in Burma and the Far East. In January 1945, during the third Arakan campaign, the whole brigade was landed at Kangaw, opposite the point of the Myebon peninsula. The Japanese were ready and the commandos' fighting skills and determination were stretched to the maximum in order to hold Hill 170 until the arrival of the leading brigade of the 25th Indian Division. There was bitter hand-to-hand fighting. At the end of the war MacWhinnie was posted to Hong Kong and put in charge of Stanley prison, which had actually housed Japanese officers.

After he was demobbed he undertook articles with Peat Marwick Mitchell. He had been impressed by Hong Kong during his brief army service there and was delighted when he was sent by Peat Marwick back to the territory in 1950 to join its branch there. He became a senior partner in 1968 and retired from the company, now called KPMG, in 1978. During those ten years he served on a number of government committees, mostly concerning business practice and ethics.

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