Professor Patrick Nip was a Principal Official of the fifth-term Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government from July 2017 to June 2022. He was the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs from July 2017 to April 2020 and the Secretary for the Civil Service from April 2020 to June 2022.
He received a Bachelor Degree in Social Sciences from the University of Hong Kong and a Master Degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in the United States. He has also studied public administration at Oxford University and attended national studies courses at the Chinese Academy of Governance.
He joined the Administrative Service of the Hong Kong government in August 1986. Since then, he has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Deputy Chief Secretary's Office, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the former Finance Branch, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Trade Department, the Chief Executive's Office, the former Health and Welfare Bureau, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing and the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau.
He was appointed the Director of Social Welfare in August 2009, the Director (Special Duties) of the Chief Secretary for Administration's Private Office in June 2013, the Director of Information Services in February 2014 and the Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health) in July 2016.