Prof. Benny K. B. KWOK
Prof. Benny K. B. KWOK
Accounting and Law
Adjunct Professor
Academic & Professional Qualification
  • FCPA, HKICPA (HK)
  • CPA (Practising), AFRC (HK)
  • FCA, ICAEW (UK)
  • CFE, ACFE (USA)
  • MCIOB, CIOB (UK)
  • MHKIS, HKIS (HK)
  • MRICS, RICS (UK)
  • MBA (Merit), Southampton Business School, University of Southampton, UK
  • BSc (Hons), University of Southampton, UK
Biography

Professor Benny K B Kwok has specialized as a forensic accountant and expert witness for nearly 30 years. Qualified 34 years ago as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the UK, Professor Kwok’s career has spanned private and public sectors in Hong Kong and the UK, including KPMG (HK and UK), the Audit Commission (UK) and Santander Bank (UK). Professor Kwok was also awarded the professional qualifications of Chartered Surveyor, Chartered Tax Adviser, Chartered Construction Manager, Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Public Accountant during 1990s and 2000s.

Professor Kwok has been providing expert assistance to plaintiffs or defendants and their advisers in relation to the analysis and assessment of dispute claims as well as the tracing and tracking of transactions and corresponding fund flows. Professor Kwok has regularly produced expert reports in supporting investigations, litigations and dispute claims, and has attended arbitration hearings, disciplinary proceedings as well as trials at the District Court and the High Court in Hong Kong, on civil and criminal cases, as an expert witness to give evidence in respect of his expert opinions. Professor Kwok was also appointed as the single joint expert five times in civil proceedings under the Court’s orders.

Professor Kwok’s book “Forensic Accountancy”, currently in its fourth edition, was initially published more than 20 years ago by LexisNexis as one of the first published titles in Asia-Pacific designated for forensic accounting. Professor Kwok’s multinational perspectives on forensic accounting are acknowledged through his another book “Accounting Irregularities in Financial Statements” published 20 years ago by Taylor & Francis Group (Gower Publishing) in the UK.

Teaching
  • Forensic accounting, fraud and corruption
Research Interest

Contemporary issues in forensic accounting, particularly with respect to litigations, legal proceedings, commercial disputes and fraud investigations relating to:

  • Breaches of contracts;
  • Breaches of fiduciary or trust duties;
  • Business interruption losses;
  • Business valuation (including standalone businesses and groups of multi-business enterprises);
  • Criminal proceedings (including charges of fraud, theft, bribery, corruption, false accounting, money laundering and conspiracy to defraud);
  • Disciplinary proceedings and professional negligence claims;
  • Discovery and disclosure of financial documents;
  • Infringement of intellectual property rights (including royalty audits and quantification of infringement);
  • Interim injunction applications (such as Mareva injunction, Anton Piller order and Norwich Pharmacal order);
  • Irregularities in financial statements and financial reporting;
  • Land resumption compensations (including business losses on total extinguishment);
  • Matrimonial breakdowns (including asset tracing and Duxbury calculations);
  • Money trail investigations and fund tracing;
  • Personal injuries and fatal accidents;
  • Professional ethics and codes of conduct;
  • Property and facilities management financial investigations;
  • Quantification of consequential losses;
  • Shareholders’ deadlocks;
  • Validity of liquidated damage clauses in contracts;
  • Will, probate and estate contests; and
  • Winding-up petitions.
Selected Publications

Sole author of published books:

“Forensic Accountancy (4th Edition)”, ISBN 978-988-886-473-7, published by LexisNexis in 2024

“Forensic Accountancy (3rd Edition)”, ISBN 978-988-876-484-6, published by LexisNexis in 2021

“Business Terms and Phrases for Surveyor, Engineers and Facilities Managers in Hong Kong”, ISBN 978-988-773-510-6, sponsored by the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and published in Hong Kong in 2016

“Financial Analysis in Hong Kong (2nd Edition)”, ISBN 978-962-996-574-7, published by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press in 2013

“Forensic Accountancy (2nd Edition)”, ISBN 978-962-8972-76-0, published by LexisNexis in 2008

“Financial Analysis in Hong Kong (1st Edition)”, ISBN 978-962-996-370-5, published by The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press in 2008  

“Accounting Irregularities in Financial Statements”, ISBN 978-0-566-08621-2 hardback, ISBN 978-1-138-38092-9 paperback, ISBN 978-1-315-26344-1 ebook, published by Taylor & Francis Group (Gower Publishing) in the UK in 2005

“Forensic Accountancy (1st Edition)”, ISBN 981-236-257-6, published by LexisNexis (Butterworths) in 2002

 

Sole author of published papers:

“Quantum Assessment of Losses of Inventories by Forensic CPAs”, concurrently published by HKICPA, ICAEW (UK) and the Actuarial Society of Hong Kong in 2014  

“Forensic Accountancy in Hong Kong: Trends in a Decade”, published by ICAEW (UK) in 2014

“Forensic Accountancy in Damage / Compensation Assessment relating to Built Facilities and Building Services”, (conference published paper) presented at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2010

“Business Valuation and Maintainable Profits for Litigation Purposes”, published by the Law Society of Hong Kong in 2009  

“Forensic Accountancy in Hong Kong”, published by ICAEW (UK) in 2003

Awards and Honours
  • Member, Disciplinary Panel (constituted under the Professional Accountants Ordinance), 2020-2024
  • Member, Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (constituted under the Legal Practitioners Ordinance), 2007-2013
  • Adjudicator, Obscene Articles Tribunal (constituted under the Control of Obscene & Indecent Articles Ordinance), 2004-2013
  • Member, Board of Review (constituted under the Inland Revenue Ordinance), 2003-2009
  • Examiner, CPA qualification programme examination, HKICPA, 2006-2012
Service to the University/Community
  • Member, Publicity and Chartered Tax Adviser Promotion Committee, TIHK, 2023-2024
  • Reviewer, Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, Emerald Group Publishing, 2018-2024
  • Honorary Auditor, Kowloon Hospital Alumni Society, 2016-2024
  • External Authorized Supervisor, CPA qualification programme practical experience, HKICPA, 2012-2023
  • Honorary Auditor, HKU Law Alumni Charity Limited, 2006-2023
  • Assessor, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, 2015-2022
  • Member, Professional Conduct Committee, HKICPA, 2013-2019
  • Appeal Panel Member, Hong Kong Green Building Council Certification, 2013-2019
  • School Councillor, West Island School, English Schools Foundation, 2012-2017
  • Honorary Consultant, accounting, business and finance publications, Commercial Press, 2013-2015
  • Member, CPD Advisory Panel, HKICPA, 2011-2013
  • Co-opted Member, Publication Committee, Hong Kong Institute of Housing, 2010-2013
  • Assessor, Chartered Institute of Building, 2011-2012
  • Member, Expert Panel on Legal Matters, HKICPA, 2003-2007
  • Member, Investigation Panel, HKICPA, 2004-2005
  • Honorary Treasurer, ACFE (Hong Kong Chapter), 2002-2005
  • Member, Complaint Panel, HKICPA, 2002-2005
  • Member, Editorial Board, HKICPA, 2002-2004