Ma graduated from the
University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (1st Hon) and later obtained a master's degree of Engineering Science in Transportation from
Monash University, Australia. He became an engineer and held senior positions in major consulting firms and participated in major development projects in Hong Kong. He is a fellow of several professional bodies including the
Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, the
Institution of Civil Engineers, the
Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), and the
Institution of Structural Engineers. He is the President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers for session 2024/25. Ma joined Maunsell Consultants Asia Ltd in 2001, becoming Managing Director in 2007. He was tasked by
AECOM with its overseas business expansion in Asia, in which Ma became the Executive Vice President for Civil and Infrastructure Business in the Asia-Pacific Region. On 6 January 2014, he was appointed Under Secretary of Development under
Paul Chan Mo-po. He succeeded Chan to be Acting Secretary for Development on 16 January 2017 when Chan took over as
Financial Secretary of Hong Kong. Ma was officially appointed on 13 February 2017. ==References==