About Government

Chief Executive, Principal Officials, Legislature and Judiciary

Chief Executive

Sam Hou Fai

Mr. Sam Hou Fai was born in the mainland of China in May 1962. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Peking University, studied courses in Portuguese language, culture and law at the University of Coimbra in Portugal and courses in law at the University of Macau. He later completed the first training course for magistrates of Macao and the subsequent advanced courses organised by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre.

Mr. Sam was a practicing lawyer in the mainland of China. In 1993, he returned from Portugal to Macao. He then joined the first group of Macao’s judicial auditors and was admitted to the first magistrate training course in 1994 and 1995 respectively. He became a judge of the Court of General Jurisdiction and was later elected a member of the Judiciary Committee of Macao.

From 20 December 1999 to 27 August 2024, Mr. Sam served as President of the Court of Final Appeal of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Chairman of the Magistrate Council, member of the Independent Commission for the Recommendation of Judges, member of the Regional Legal Assistance and International Mutual Legal Assistance Working Committee, and Honorary President of the Association for the Promotion of the Macao Basic Law.

Mr. Sam won the Chief Executive Election on 13 October 2024 and was appointed as the sixth-term Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region by the State Council with the Decree No. 794 on 25 October 2024. Mr. Sam assumed office on 20 December 2024.