Michael Hanson

Michael 'Mike' Hanson is a Hong Kong press secretary and political PR expert. He is best known for his role as the spin doctor and head of Governor Chris Patten's war room from 1992 to 1994. Hanson was responsible for promoting Patten's controversial 1994 Hong Kong electoral reform, which created a political storm and impacted the smooth handover of Hong Kong to China. He also introduced political PR into the government and served as the government's refugee coordinator for Vietnamese asylum seekers in Hong Kong. Prior to his role as press secretary, Hanson served as the head of political public relations for the British Hong Kong government from 1991 to October 1994. Born to a working-class family in northern England, Hanson joined Her Majesty's Civil Service in 1974.