Famous CCTV anchor enters VC sector

Zhang Quanling, 42, a famous anchor who resigned from China Central Television in early July, has entered the field of venture capital investment, according to media reports. She now serves as a consultant for Fu Sheng Team and a partner for the Purple Cow Fund. Fu Sheng Team is a business incubator focusing on angel investment rounds founded by Fu Sheng, CEO of Cheetah Mobile, in December 2014. The company aims to help outstanding young entrepreneurs realize their dreams of creating their own businesses. According to Cheetah Mobile, they chose Zhang as their first consultant because of her rich experience and extensive connections at CCTV. Zhang began working at CCTV in 1997 as a reporter, director and anchor for China Report. Since 2000 she has hosted key programs like Oriental Horizon, Topics in Focus and People in the News. She won the 11th Yangtze River & Taofen Journalism Award in 2010.

Bitauto appoints Zhang Xu'an as COO

Bitauto Holdings Ltd, a leading provider of Internet content and marketing services for China's automotive industry, has named Chief Financial Officer Zhang Xu'an as its new chief operating officer. In his new position, Zhang takes overall responsibility for the company's operations including Bitauto Mall and the company's financial, legal and investor relations departments. He had been the company's CFO since 2009, and was vice-president of finance between 2006 and 2009. Prior to joining the firm, the New York University finance and accounting graduate worked with Ernst & Young Global Ltd and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

CNOOC promotes Liu Jian to chief executive

China National Offshore Oil Corp, China's largest offshore oil and gas producer, has promoted vice-executive Liu Jian to chief executive officer. The post, confirmed on its website, had been vacant for three months. Liu has been with the State-owned CNOOC for 33 years, working in various parts of the organization including upstream exploration, oilfield services and engineering. An undergraduate of Huazhong University of Science and Technology in shipping and internal combustion engine design, he later became a Master of Business Administration from Tianjin University. As vice-executive of CNOOC, he also held concurrent posts of president of China Oilfield Services Ltd, and president of Offshore Oil Engineering Co Ltd.

Ken Ho joins BT as managing director

British Telecom Plc has named Ken Ho as its new managing director in China. The company said Ho will primarily lead its new business development in the country. Before joining BT, Ho spent 15 years with Hong Kong-based PCCW Ltd, most recently as vice-president of information and communications technology, business sales and marketing. BT said his deep understanding of the China market and his rich experience here will greatly help its business growth.

Wang takes top post at Shanghai Huayi

Wang Xia, 52, vice-president of Shanghai Huayi (Group) Co, will become president of the company, after the post had been vacant for nine months, according to the official microblog of the Shanghai municipal government on Aug 31. Wang, who has been vice-president of the chemical group since April 2009, is in charge of investment planning, such as engineering construction planning and project development planning. Before that, she was the assistant to the president of the company. Wang served as deputy general manager of Shanghai Coking & Chemical Corp before she joined Huayi. The company's former president, Qin Jian, 47, was transferred to be deputy secretary of Songjiang district in Shanghai in December 2014.

Former Lenovo server chief joins Dell

Jay Parker, who recently resigned from his post leading Lenovo's Enterprise Business Group, has taken on a new role at a competing PC powerhouse: Dell. The Texas-based computer maker confirmed the news on Aug 31. Parker's new title is vice-president and general manager of North America Enterprise Solutions Sales at Dell. Over the years, Lenovo has risen to PC dominance and is trying to chart a similar course with servers, having acquired IBM's Research Triangle Park-based low-end server division. And Parker, who headed the firm's North American operations before being promoted to lead enterprise in May, has been a visible player in that effort, touting Lenovo's growth strategy at every opportunity. In particular, he was heading up the "attack" part of CEO Yang Yuanqing's famed "protect and attack" strategy when it came to servers.

CITIC Capital names senior MD

CITIC Capital Partners, the private equity arm of CITIC Capital Holdings Ltd, announced the appointment of veteran Zhang Haipeng as a senior managing director. Zhang will oversee healthcare investment, which is one of the company's key strategic focuses. He has over 15 years of experience in corporate management in various sectors, and has deep knowledge of the healthcare industry, having trained as a Doctor of Medicine at Peking Union Medical College and founded. China Resources Healthcare Group Ltd. Before joining CITIC Capital Partners, he was the founding CEO of China Resources Healthcare Group Ltd, and the general manager of strategy management.

(China Daily USA 09/14/2015 page15)