Prof. Kent Lai obtained his Bachelor and PhD in Finance from Arizona State University in the US. Afterward, he joined the Accounting and Finance Department of Lingnan University. In 2008 he switched to the Department of Economics to manage the MSc. in International Banking and Finance (MIBF) Programme which he and other colleagues of the Economics Department launched in 2006. As the Managing Director of the MIBF Program, Prof. Lai is responsible for all aspects of this self‐funded program including curriculum, quality assurance, teacher recruitment, promotion, admission, student activities, professional and career development, alumni engagement and external relations. He also teaches several courses and leads student overseas study tours. 
 
Beside the Department of Economics, Prof. Lai is serving in some other University units including the University Council (where he is a member of the Christian Activities Committee, the Campus Development and Management Committee and the Investment Sub-Committee), University Court and the Board of Governors of the Lingnan Institute of Further Education (LIFE).   
 
From 2016 to 2019 Prof. Lai assisted the University to establish the Division of Graduate Studies (DGS, now School of Graduate Studies, GS) and took up a concurrent appointment as Founding Associate Director.  
 
Professionally, Prof. Lai is a founding member and a senior fellow of the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute for which he has served as examiner and member of committees like Editorial Committee, Membership Committee, and Outreach Committee.  He is also a member of the Talent Readiness Working Group of the Financial Services Development Council.