Dr Lawrence LEI

Assistant Professor
Department of Accountancy

Academic & Professional Qualifications

PhD (City University of Hong Kong)
MSc (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
BSc (University of Southern California)

Biography

Dr. Lei is currently the Assistant Professor of the Department of Accountancy at the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK). He is also the Director of the HSUHK Start-up and SME Resource Centre which provides business solutions to local start-up and SME companies and the organizer of The HSUHK Outstanding SME ESG and Business Performance Award which recognises SMEs that effectively apply ESG initiatives in their business operations and achieve outstanding business performance. Dr. Lei is also the Co-Chairman of the HSUHK Junzi Corporation Award Project, which recognises companies that successfully applies the traditional Junzi virtues concepts in their business operations, and he is also the Co-Convenor of the HSUHK Anti-Scam and Financial Education and Research Project which helps to increase the anti-deception awareness among younger generations and promote academic research to deepen people’s understanding of the social impact caused by financial fraud, and provide public policy recommendations.

Before joining HSUHK, Dr. Lei served as an auditor of PwC and the income control auditor and casino analyst respectively of two casino resorts in Macau.


Research and Teaching Interests

  • Research interest: Business ethics (including Junzi), SME businesses, overconfident CEOs, ESG, gaming, anti-money laundering, labor union, and mindfulness etc.
  • Teaching interest: Financial accounting and auditing

Intellectual Contributions (Publications, Conferences, Books, Book Chapters, etc.)

Selected Journal Publications

  • Li, Y., Li, N., & Lei, H.W.L. (2025). Independent directors with auditing expertise, overconfident CEOs and overinvestment in China. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 91, 102733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pacfin.2025.10
  • Leung, T.K.P., & Lei, H.W.L. (2023). The economy of the Sino-US conflict: Its impact on Chinese firms listed in the U.S. and Hong Kong as a financial hub. Asia Pacific Business Review, 28(5), 680-700. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602381.2022.2116875
  • Goh, L., Lam, K.C., & Lei, H.W.L. (2019). Value relevance of financial and non-financial information: Evidence from the gaming industry. UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, 23(1), 41-67. https://doi.org/10.9741/2327-8455.1404

Research Grants and Awards

The HSUHK Teaching Excellence Award (2021)