Bruce Au is the Secretary-General of the Yidan Prize Foundation, where he works closely with the Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, and Judging Committee to design and implement strategic initiatives that further the foundation’s mission: creating a better world through education. Over the past eight years, the foundation has awarded US$30 million to support 19 laureates, advancing education research and development in more than 50 countries. Bruce is dedicated to cultivating a global community of Yidan Prize laureates and partners, where theory and practice come together to set new standards of excellence in teaching and learning, ultimately contributing to brighter futures for local communities. 

With more than two decades of experience in strategic advisory, management, and philanthropy, Bruce has a track record of mobilizing diverse talents across disciplines to drive impactful initiatives. Before joining the foundation, he was a lead grant-maker in the areas of education, youth development, and poverty alleviation at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, one of the world’s leading charity donors. There, he played key roles in transformative and future-oriented initiatives like CoolThink@JC, which fosters digital creativity by successfully integrating computational thinking into all publicly funded primary schools in Hong Kong within just seven years. 

Bruce also served as the founding Director of Finance and Operations at Character Lab, a New York-based nonprofit that advances the science and practice of character education. His career includes strategy consulting at Dalberg Advisors, where he supported global foundations and multilateral institutions in tackling pressing social challenges. He was an inaugural Global Governance Futures fellow of the Robert Bosch Foundation Multilateral Dialogues program and began his professional journey as an investment banking analyst on Wall Street. 

Bruce earned a Bachelor of Science from MIT and a Master in Public Administration in International Development from Harvard Kennedy School. He is also a proud graduate of Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong.