Lawrence Ho

Career 1999–2003: Banking and Mocha Clubs In September 1999 Ho began working in investment banking,

After purchasing a 26 percent majority stake, Placed in charge of Melco's daily operations, and Melco purchased a one-half stake in a planned casino resort from Stanley Ho for $13 million, agreeing to "participate in the development of the hotel and subsequently manage the electronic gaming machine lounge." Melco's Mocha Clubs, opened in 2003, In March 2006, Melco Crown spent US$900 million purchasing the last of Macau's six gaming licenses from Wynn Resorts. The license allowed Melco Crown to "operate an unlimited number of casinos, tables and machines in Macau until June 2022," In July 2007, Melco Crown launched Altira Macau,

2012–2016: International expansion Ho and Packer began partnering with SM Investments in 2012 on the $1 billion casino resort City of Dreams Manila, which opened in 2015 in the Philippines. In the summer of 2012, the government of the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Zone in Vladivostok, Russia invited Ho to bid on a new casino project. Tigre de Cristal opened in October 2015. which was filmed to promote the casino's opening.

2017–2018: Recent casinos After a year-long bidding process, in 2017 the Cyprus government awarded Melco the first and only casino license in the country, which granted exclusivity for 15 years. Melco International subsequently bought a controlling stake in The firm manages Ho’s personal investments through a diversified global portfolio across multiple asset classes, including equities, SPACs, real estate, disruptive technologies, leisure and culture, green energy, and other non-gaming businesses.

After developing four integrated resorts together, Melco Crown became Melco Resorts & Entertainment. Ho assumed direct operational control and property development of Melco Resorts & Entertainment. Nearly 7,000 Melco employees volunteered during work hours to assist over 1,600 community organizations. Melco also donated HKD 20 million (approximately USD 2.6 million) to support Wuhan and Hubei in obtaining medical supplies, while Ho personally forewent his salary for the rest of 2020, to support colleagues and operations. These initiatives earned Melco the Community Award – Asia and Ho the Outstanding Individual Award at the 2020 Industry Community Awards.

In what Ho described as “a new chapter for Studio City”, Melco opened Studio City Indoor Water Park and Epic Tower hotel in April 2023, marking the first attractions of Studio City Phase 2. Ho said this was an important milestone in Macau’s diversification objective and a demonstration of Melco’s confidence and belief in the long-standing potential of Macau. A second hotel in Studio City Phase 2, W Macau, was inaugurated in September.

Under Ho, Melco is committed to offering non-gaming tourism, which he believes would benefit Macau tourism as a whole. As part of this commitment, Melco’s signature “House of Dancing Water” returned to City of Dreams Macau in May 2025, which Ho said will shape Macau into a live performance destination, attract tourists from around the world, and support the Macau government’s initiative to sustain Macau’s positioning as the ‘World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.’ House of Dancing Water was presented with the "Medal of Merit – Tourism" in 2025 by the Macao SAR Government, in recognition of its outstanding contributions to promoting the development of Macau's tourism sector and enhancing its status as a "World Centre of Tourism and Leisure" since its premiere in 2010.

Turing to overseas markets, Ho believes that emerging markets have the greatest growth potential. Seeing potential from the Middle East and even Europe for integrated resorts, Melco secured a gaming license in Cyprus. In July 2023, Ho inaugurated City of Dreams Mediterranean, a US$660 million property described as Europe’s first and largest integrated resort, located in Limassol, Cyprus.

Ho first took an interest in opening an integrated resort in Sri Lanka in 2013, recognising its potential to become to India what Macau is to China, as well as opportunities from the Middle East. With the goal for Melco to avoid being a one-country-based company, ambitions for bigger things and seizing asset-light opportunities, Melco developed City of Dreams, Sri Lanka with John Keells Holdings. The resort was opened in Colombo in August 2025.

He is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He is also a member of the advisory committee of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce. He is an honorary lifetime member of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong, and he has also been a member of the All-China Youth Federation and the Macau Basic Law Promotion Association. and the Macau International Volunteers Association. A director executive of the Macao Chamber of Commerce, he is also on the boards of The Community Chest of Hong Kong and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. He is honorary president of Association of Property Agents and Real Estate Developers of Macau. Ho is also an honorary patron of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Macao. and in 2015 he received the "Leadership Gold Award" in the Business Awards of Macau.

Personal life Ho and his wife Sharen Lo Shau Yan have one daughter.