Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx) has appointed Mao Zhirong as Senior Vice President, Head of Mainland Development, effective 1 May 2013.

Mr Mao will join HKEx on 11 March 2013 to ensure a smooth transition when the current Head of Mainland Development, Yang Qiumei, steps down on 30 April 2013 to pursue an opportunity at an international financial institution.  He will report to the Co-heads of Global Markets Romnesh Lamba and Martin Abbott and the Chief Executive Charles Li, and he will be a member of the Management Committee.

Mr Mao has strong credentials and his extensive experience includes senior roles with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE). His most recent position was Director of Strategy and International Affairs, Director of Financial Innovation Lab and Head of Derivative Product Task Force at the SZSE.  Mr Mao joined the SZSE in 2001 and was involved in member supervision when he was a deputy director at Member Supervision Department.

The SZSE appointed Mr Mao to the board of China Exchanges Services Company Limited (CESC), HKEx’s joint venture with Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, when CESC was established in the second half of last year and he subsequently became one of CESC’s co-chairmen.  HKEx’s appointment of Mr Mao will result in changes to the CESC board, which will be announced in due course.

From 1993 to 2001, Mr Mao was with Wellpoint, one of the largest health benefits companies in the US.  He held a variety of positions of increasing seniority across functions including information technology, product development and risk management.

Mr Mao holds Bachelor degree in Economics from Fudan University, a Masters degree in Economics from the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) in the US and a PhD in International Affairs from UC San Diego.

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