Directors and Management

Executive Directors

• Mr. Yu Guo (于果先生) (Co-Chairman of the Board)

  Mr. Yu is an Executive Director, the Co-Chairman of the Board and the chairman of the nomination committee. He has over 28 years of experience in the education industry.

  Mr. Yu is actively engaged in the educational and civil affairs in the PRC. His contribution to the development of education in the PRC has been widely recognized. He has been awarded the National Award for Outstanding Non-Public Economic Establisher of Business in Communism with Chinese Characteristics (全國非公有制經濟人士優秀中國特色社會主義事業建設者) by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (中華全國工商業聯合會), the National Outstanding Worker Award (全國先進工作者) by State Council of the PRC, National Outstanding Education Worker Award (全國優秀教育工作者) by Ministry of Education, China’s Top Ten Outstanding Young Persons (中國十大傑出青年) by All-China Youth Federation (中華全國青年聯合會), China Youth Development Foundation (中國青少年發展基金會) and ten other media organisations and National Glorious Industry Career Award (中國光彩事業獎) by China Society for Promotion of the Guangcai Programme (中國光彩事業促進會). Mr. Yu is appointed as the Member of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth Jiangxi People’s Congress (第十三屆江西省人民代表大會) and Vice Chairman of China Association for Private Education (中國民辦教育協會) and was appointed as the Representative of the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh National People’s Congress (第九屆、第十屆、第十一屆全國人民代表大會), the Member of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth Jiangxi People’s Congress (第十二屆江西省人民代表大會), the Vice Chairman of Jiangxi Federation of Industry and Commerce (江西省工商業聯合會), and Honorary Chairman of Jiangxi Youth Federation (江西省青年聯合會).

  Mr. Yu graduated from the Master’s programme in Business and Economics at the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中國社會科學院研究生院) and completed the China Europe International Business School-Harvard Business School-IESE Business School Global CEO Programme for China.

• Mr. Xie Ketao (謝可滔先生) (Co-Chairman of the Board)

  Mr. Xie is an Executive Director and the Co-Chairman of the Board. He has over 33 years of experience in the education industry.

  Mr. Xie is actively engaged in the educational and civil affairs in the PRC. His contribution to the development of education in the PRC has been widely recognized. He has received the awards of Guangdong Contemporary Private Education Sponsor Excellent Contribution Award (廣東當代民辦教育舉辦人突出貢獻獎) by Guangdong Society of Education (廣東教育學會), Guangdong Education Foundation (廣東省教育基金會) and Guangdong Provincial Institute of Contemporary Private Education Management (廣東省當代民辦教育管理研究院), the China Private Higher Education Outstanding Individuals (中國民辦高等教育先進個人) by China Association For Private Education (中國民辦教育協會), the Individual Award for Outstanding Contribution for Guangdong Province Private Education (廣東省民辦教育傑出貢獻人物) by Southern Metropolis Daily (南方都市報), the Outstanding Contribution Award to Chairmen in Private Schools (民辦學校董事長突出貢獻獎) by Guangdong Provincial Association for the Education Promotion (廣東省教育促進會) and the Sixth Guangzhou Municipal Ten Outstanding Youth (第六屆廣州市十佳青年) by Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government (廣州市人民政府). Mr. Xie is appointed as the Vice Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of China Association for Private Education (中國民辦教育協會), and was appointed as the Representative of the Twelfth Guangdong People’s Congress (廣東省第十二屆人民代表大會), the Committee Member of the Ninth and Tenth Guangdong Province Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (第九、第十屆廣東省中國人民政治協商會議委員會), and the Vice Chairman of Guangzhou Vocational Technical Education Research Committee (廣州市職業技能教學研究會).

  Mr. Xie graduated from the Master’s programme in Vocational and Technical Education at the East China Normal University (華東師範大學) and has also been a National Ministry of Labour and Social Security (中華人民共和國勞動和社會保障部) accredited Senior Vocational Counsellor (高級職業指導師資格).

• Dr. Yu Kai (喻愷博士) (Chief Executive Officer)

  Dr. Yu is an Executive Director, the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the remuneration committee. He has over 13 years of experience in the education industry.

  Dr. Yu served as an educational consultant to the World Bank. He also provided research services to the Degrees Commission of the State Council of the PRC, the MOE Higher Education Department, the MOE Degree Management and Graduate Education Department and the Research Office of the Jiangxi People’s Government. Dr. Yu has published 10 books in China, the US, Germany, Switzerland and Singapore and authored over 30 journal articles covering topics ranging from policy, learning, financing, and investment in education. Dr. Yu served as a reviewer of textbooks for Cambridge University Press.

  Dr. Yu has been awarded MOE National Outstanding Achievement in Educational Sciences Research Award Second Class Award (教育部全國教育科學研究優秀成果獎二等獎), MOE New Century Outstanding Talent (教育部新世紀優秀人才), Shanghai Municipal Pujiang Talent Award (上海市浦江人才), Jiangxi Provincial Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Award First Class Award (江西省教學成果獎一等獎), Jiangxi Provincial Outstanding Achievement in Educational Sciences Award First Class Award (江西省教育科學優秀成果獎一等獎), Shanghai Municipal Outstanding Achievement in Philosophy and Social Sciences Award Second Class Award for Papers (上海市哲學社會科學優秀成果獎論文類二等獎), etc.

  Dr. Yu is an Adviser for PhD students and Post-docs at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in the field of Economics and Administration of Education.

  Dr. Yu received his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Science (First Class Honours) from the Queen’s University of Belfast, his Master of Science degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Studies from the University of Oxford. Dr. Yu received his Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from China Europe International Business School. Dr. Yu holds Corporate Director Certificate from Harvard Business School.

   

• Mr. Wang Rui (王睿先生)

  Mr. Wang is an Executive Director and has about nine years of experience in the private higher education industry. Mr. Wang has been an investment manager for strategic investments of the Company since February 2018. Mr. Wang graduated from Kean University in the United States with a Bachelor degree in Computer Science in 2012 and a Master degree in Computer Information Science in 2013.

Independent Non-Executive Directors

• Dr. Gerard A. Postiglione

  Dr. Postiglione is the Independent Non-executive Director, the chairman of the remuneration committee, a member of the audit committee and a member of the nomination committee.

  Dr. Postiglione is an Emeritus Professor of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) since May 2020 and an Honorary Professor from July 2017 in the Faculty of Education, where he has been a member of the board of The University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Education (formally known as The University of Hong Kong’s Academic Board of the School of Education) since 1981. At the Southern University of Science and Technology (南方科技大學), he is a member of the academic committee at the Center for Higher Education Research since August 2018. Dr. Postiglione was Chair Professor in Higher Education of The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Education until June 2017, and was Associate Dean for Research of The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Education from December 2013 to July 2016. He was Director of the Wah Ching Centre for Research on Education in China, The University of Hong Kong from July 2002 to March 2005, and from 2008 to 2015. He was Coordinator of the Consortium for Higher Education Research in Asia, The University of Hong Kong from 2016 to 2023.

  Dr. Postiglione has been a consultant on higher education policy of the Asian Development Bank from 2009 to 2011, 2017 to 2018, 2018 to 2019, 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. He was a visiting fellow at Yale University from September to December 2003. Dr. Postiglione’s academic books include Crossing Borders in East Asian Higher Education, Asian Higher Education, Education and Social Change in China, Mass Higher Education Development in East Asia: Strategy, Quality and Challenges, Rural Education in China’s Social Transition, Improving Transitions from School to University to Workplace and Education, Social Change, and Regional Development: Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

  Dr. Postiglione received his Bachelor of Science degree and his Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the State University of New York.

• Dr. Rui Meng (芮萌博士)

  Dr. Rui is the Independent Non-executive Director, the chairman of the audit committee and a member of the remuneration committee.

  Dr. Rui has been Professor of Finance and Accounting at China Europe International Business School, and has held the title of Parkland Chair in Finance at China Europe International Business School. Dr. Rui has been professionally designated as a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) by the Association for Investment Management and Research and a Financial Risk Manager (FRM) by the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

  Dr. Rui received a Bachelor of Economics degree in International Economics from the Institute of International Relations in Beijing and a Master of Science degree in Economics from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Rui also received a Master of Business Administration degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston.

• Dr. Wu Kin Bing (鄔健冰博士)

  Dr. Wu is the Independent Non-executive Director, a member of the audit committee and a member of the nomination committee.

  Dr. Wu was a staff member of the World Bank. As Lead Education Specialist, she had worked on all subsectors of education, from early childhood education, to primary, secondary and tertiary education. She led in policy analysis, lending appraisal and project supervision in East Asia, South Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean Region. Her World Bank and academic publications have dealt with the finance and efficiency of the education systems and public policies towards education.

  After retirement from the World Bank, Dr. Wu helped found the UNICEF USA Northwest Regional Board in January 2014 to raise fund and to advocate for the work of UNICEF for children around the world. She is currently a member of UNICEF’s International Council.

  Dr. Wu received from Indiana University a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree, and her Doctor of Education degree from Harvard University. Dr. Wu served on the Editorial Board of Harvard Educational Review, and then as Co-Chairperson of the Board.

Senior Management

• Mr. Lan Gongcheng (蘭功成先生) (Chief Financial Officer)

  Mr. Lan joined the Group in 1994 and is currently serving as the Group’s Chief Financial Officer. Formerly, he served as the Group’s Director of Finance, the Director of Internal Control and Audit of the Group and as the Director of Finance of a member school of the Group. Mr. Lan is certified as a Professor-level Senior Accountant (教授級正高級會計師). Mr. Lan is also a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). Mr. Lan holds Board Secretary Qualification and Independent Director Qualification from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Mr. Lan has passed the Securities Practitioner Qualification Examinations of the Securities Association of China and the Fund Practitioner Qualification Examinations of the Asset Management Association of China. Mr. Lan is a Guest Professor at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, an advisor for master’s students majoring in accounting at Nanchang University, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics and Jiangxi Normal University, a Reviewer for the Senior Professional Titles in Accounting in Jiangxi Province and an expert in the Innovation and Development Expert Database of the Private Equity Fund Industry of the Jiangxi Province Investment Fund Industry Association. Mr. Lan obtained Master of Business Administration degree from Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics.

• Mr. Li Renyi (李仁毅先生) (Vice President for Strategic Investments)

  Mr. Li joined the Group in May 2017 and oversees the strategic investments.

  He has 14 years of experience in investment. Before joining the Group, Mr. Li worked at Prax Capital (普凱投資), a private equity firm, where he held various positions including vice president of investments, senior manager of investments and manager of investments. Mr. Li also worked as an investment manager at Shenzhen Oriental Fortune Capital Co., Ltd. (深圳市東方富海投資管理股份有限公司), a venture capital firm, and at China Renaissance (華興資本), a financial services provider, where he was financing manager and analyst.

  Mr. Li has passed the Fund Practitioner Qualification Examinations (基金從業資格考試) held by the Asset Management Association of China (中國證券投資基金業協會). Mr. Li received his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Information Security from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

• Dr. Hu Jianfeng (胡剑锋博士) (Vice President for Operation)

  Dr. Hu Jianfeng joined the Group in 2002, he is responsible for the operations of the Group.

  Dr. Hu is a professor and supervisor for Master's research students. Dr Hu has over 20 years experience in higher education. His prior appointments include Dean, Director of Teaching Affairs, Director of Education Quality, Director of Research, and Vice President of a university in the Group.

  Dr. Hu is an expert on the Panel of University Education Evaluation of the Ministry of Education, PRC.

  Dr. Hu led research projects sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation, Emerging Engineering Education Projects of Ministry of Education, University-Industry Collaborative Education Projects of Ministry of Education, and Humanities and Social Sciences Projects of Ministry of Education. He has published about 200 journal articles and has about 30 patents. He has been awarded the Jiangxi Provincial Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Award First Class Award.