✔ 最佳答案
Be the Chief Executive, he is a Chinese Citizen and has HK Permanent Identity Card. He could apply for HKSAR passport for overseas travel.
For overseas travel, holding a valid passport is the minimun requirement. He is also not a foreign countries resident, therefore, he is requiring permission to land from foreign immigration authority. If he is not holding a valid passport for travel, he will be refused permission to land by the foreign immigration authority.
As you said, his secretary will take care his immigration clearance as well as his passport application, so and so.