Dr James E. THOMPSON, GBS, is Chairman and Founder of the Crown Worldwide Group of Companies.  Crown Worldwide is a logistics company performing various types of warehousing and transportation services throughout the world.  The Crown Worldwide Group is the largest privately owned company in the field of international removals with over 256 worldwide locations in almost 60 countries around the world.  Crown is also a leader in the field of document management with over 32 million cartons of business documents managed from its worldwide facilities. 

Dr Thompson graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering.  He came to Asia shortly after completion of his university studies and has lived in Japan and Hong Kong ever since.  He is a member of the International Advisory Board of the San Jose State University Business School.

Dr Thompson is currently the Chairman of The Hong Kong Management Association and a member of the InvestHK’s Investment Promotion Ambassador Scheme.  He also serves as a member of HKTDC HK-Europe Business Cooperation Committee.  He served as a non-executive Director of the Board of the Wharf (Holdings) Ltd., a Board Member of Ocean Park Corporation, the Chairman of HKTDC Logistics Services Advisory Committee from 2004 to 2008, a Council member of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council from 2002 to 2004, a member of the Hong Kong Trade and Industry Advisory Board, a member of the ICAC Advisory Committee on Corruption, a member of HK-US Business Council, and a member of HK-Japan Business Cooperation Committee.  He also served two terms as the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong for 2002 and 2003.

He is also a member of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School Advisory Council and a member of the City of University of Hong Kong College International Advisory Board.

Dr Thompson serves as Chairman or as a Board member of numerous charitable organizations.  His particular interests are charities related to children, cancer, education and art.  He is the Chairman of the Asian Youth Orchestra, the Honorary President of the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care, is on the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army.  He and his wife, Sally, have been building schools and libraries for the children of Cambodia for the past few years.

Dr Thompson was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star, Hong Kong’s second highest award, by the Hong Kong Government in 2003.  He received the Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2015 and the DHL/SCMP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.