China Renaissance, a leading investment bank in China's tech sector, has suspended trading of its shares and delayed the release of its annual results due to its founder Bao Fan's unavailability. Bao, 52, was last seen in February and has been unreachable since then, causing his shares to plummet by as much as 50%. The company initially stated that Bao was cooperating with an investigation but made no further details public.
There are rumors that Bao might be assisting in an investigation related to a former executive at China Renaissance. However, the exact nature of this involvement is still unclear.
As a result of Bao's disappearance and the uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts, auditors were unable to complete their work or sign off on their report for the company's annual results. The board also failed to provide an estimate for when it would approve its audited results for 2022 or dispatch its annual report by April 30.
In a bizarre twist, China Renaissance's founder is known as a seasoned dealmaker who has worked closely with top tech companies in China and helped broker significant deals, including the merger between Meituan and Dianping. His team also invested in several prominent Chinese electric vehicle makers and internet giants, such as Baidu and JD.com.
Meanwhile, an investigation into Liu Liange, former party secretary and chairman of Bank of China, has been launched by China's top anti-graft watchdog. Liu is suspected of "serious violations of discipline and law" and is among the most senior financial executives targeted in a broader financial crackdown by President Xi Jinping.
There are rumors that Bao might be assisting in an investigation related to a former executive at China Renaissance. However, the exact nature of this involvement is still unclear.
As a result of Bao's disappearance and the uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts, auditors were unable to complete their work or sign off on their report for the company's annual results. The board also failed to provide an estimate for when it would approve its audited results for 2022 or dispatch its annual report by April 30.
In a bizarre twist, China Renaissance's founder is known as a seasoned dealmaker who has worked closely with top tech companies in China and helped broker significant deals, including the merger between Meituan and Dianping. His team also invested in several prominent Chinese electric vehicle makers and internet giants, such as Baidu and JD.com.
Meanwhile, an investigation into Liu Liange, former party secretary and chairman of Bank of China, has been launched by China's top anti-graft watchdog. Liu is suspected of "serious violations of discipline and law" and is among the most senior financial executives targeted in a broader financial crackdown by President Xi Jinping.