Jeny Yeung was on Wednesday named as the new CEO of the MTR Corporation, which would make her the first female head of the railway operator.

The MTR said the decision was made following a global search by the board.

Yeung, currently MTR’s Managing Director of Hong Kong Transport Services, will start her new job on January 1, with a three-year tenure.

Yeung joined the railway giant in 1999 and has held multiple roles, including Services and Commercial Director.

She is also currently the Non-Executive Chairman of Octopus, and formerly chaired Ngong Ping 360.

In a statement, Yeung said she was deeply honoured to take on the new role and thanked the board for placing its trust in her.

“With a humble heart, I look forward to building on the Corporation’s strong foundation to serve Hong Kong and the cities where MTR operates, and to continue creating value for society and all our stakeholders,” she wrote.

Rex Auyeung, MTR’s chairman, thanked current CEO Jacob Kam for leading the corporation through difficult times during the pandemic and bringing the business back to normality.

Kam said he was honoured to witness the growth of the MTR, and believed that the firm will continue to serve people well after Yeung replaces him.