Mr Chan is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a former President of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a former Chairman of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Hong Kong.

Before joining the Government, Mr Chan held a number of public service positions including member of the Legislative Council; Chairman of Legal Aid Services Council; Board Member of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority; non-official member of the Strategic Development Commission and Council Member of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Mr Chan served as Secretary for Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government from July 2012 to January 2017. He was appointed Financial Secretary on 16 January, 2017.