Hong Kong corporate governance activist David Webb dies at 60
A champion of transparency and investor rights, whose investigations and sharp commentaries unsettled the financial elite
David Webb, the corporate governance activist renowned for his free public database and his explosive “Enigma Network” exposé that rocked the Hong Kong stock exchange, has died aged 60 of metastatic prostate cancer.
A notice posted on one of his social media accounts confirmed his death on Tuesday. He is survived by his wife and two children.
“It is with great sadness that we share that David M Webb MBE passed away peacefully in Hong Kong on Tuesday January 13, 2026 from metastatic prostate cancer. David will be missed by family, many friends, and supporters. The family requests privacy at this difficult time,” the post said.
In 2020, he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of metastatic prostate cancer. One of his final wishes, he said at the time, was to live beyond the age of 60.
His last post on the Substack media platform was titled “Government strongly condemns activities of the so-called Santa Claus” – a parody of the strongly worded statements frequently issued by the authorities in response to foreign criticism.
In May last year, Webb addressed a full house at the city’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club in what was billed as his public farewell.