Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Chairman and Non-executive Director 

Mdm. ZHANG Xiaolu (张晓路)

Chairman, Non-executive Director and Chairman of the Nomination Committee. Mdm. Zhang was appointed as an Executive Director in January 2020, re-designated as a Non-executive Director in April 2024, and appointed as Chairman in June 2024.

Mdm. Zhang joined BOC in July 1990 and is currently the General Manager of Equity Investment and Subsidiary Management Department of BOC. Before she left her executive role with the Company in April 2024, she was Deputy Managing Director, an Executive Director and Vice Chairman of the Company between January 2020 to April 2024. Prior to that, she held various positions including serving as Deputy CEO and COO at Bank of China (Suisse) S.A., as an Executive Director and Special Advisor of Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. in Zurich and as Deputy General Manager of BOC Luxembourg Branch and Bank of China (Luxembourg) S.A.. Mdm. Zhang graduated with a Bachelor of Economics degree from Beijing Union University in 1990, a Bachelor of Arts from Beijing Foreign Studies University in 2006 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in 2000.

Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director and Executive Director

Mr. Steven TOWNEND 

Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, Executive Director and a member of the Strategy and Budget Committee. Mr. Townend was appointed as a Director and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on 1 January 2024.

Mr. Townend joined the Company in January 2001 and was appointed as Chief Commercial Officer in July 2004. He was appointed to the additional role of Deputy Managing Director in 2006. Mr. Townend assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer in October 2020. Mr. Townend has 33 years of banking and leasing experience. He graduated from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Banking and Finance.  

Non-executive Directors

Mdm. CHEN Jing (陈静)

Non-executive Director, a member of the Audit Committee, Risk Committee and the Strategy and Budget Committee. Mdm. Chen was appointed as a Non-executive Director in April 2022.

Mdm. Chen joined BOC in April 2000 and is currently the Deputy General Manager of Credit Management Department. Prior to her current role, she served as Deputy General Manager of BOC Jinan Branch from August 2012 to August 2015. Mdm. Chen graduated from Dongbei University of Finance and Economics in China with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance in 1997 and a Master’s degree in Finance in 2000.

Mr. JIN Hongju (靳红举)

Non-executive Director, Chairman of the Strategy and Budget Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Jin was appointed as a Non-executive Director in November 2023.

Mr. Jin joined BOC in July 2000 and is currently the Executive Manager of the Equity Investment and Subsidiary Management Department of BOC (since February 2019). Mr. Jin is also a Director of Bank of China Group Investment Fund Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd. From August 2012 to February 2019, Mr. Jin served successively as Deputy General Manager of BOC Jinan Branch, General Manager of the Investment Banking and Asset Management Department of BOC Shandong Branch and Executive Manager of the BOC Board Secretariat Department. Mr. Jin graduated from Renmin University of China in July 2000 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Accounting, and then graduated from the China Europe International Business School in China in September 2010 with a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Mdm. Li Ke (李珂)

Non-executive Director, a member of the Nomination Committee and the Remuneration Committee. Mdm. Li was appointed as a Non-Executive Director in November 2023.

Mdm. Li joined BOC in July 1999 and is currently the Deputy General Manager of the Human Resources Department of BOC (since September 2023). Mdm. Li is also a Director of Bank of China Group Investment Fund Management (Beijing) Co., Ltd and BOC Financial Technology Company Limited. From January 2021 to September 2023, Mdm. Li served successively as the Executive Internal Control and Compliance Manager and the Deputy General Manager of the Internal Control and Legal Compliance Department of BOC. Mdm. Li graduated from Peking University in July 1998 with a Bachelor of Laws degree and received her Master of Laws degree from Peking University in July 2007.

Mdm. LIU Yunfei (刘云飞)

Non-executive Director, a member of the Risk Committee and the Strategy and Budget Committee. Mdm. Liu was appointed as a Non-executive Director in April 2024. 

Mdm. Liu Yunfei joined BOC in July 1991 and is currently the Deputy General Manager, Compliance Officer and Risk Officer of the Global Transaction Banking Department of BOC (since June 2020). From January 2006 to June 2020, Mdm. Liu served successively as Assistant Operations Director and Operations Director of the International Settlement Department, Operations Director of the Corporate Finance Unit (International Settlement), Deputy General Manager of the Trade Finance Department, and Deputy General Manager of the Global Transaction Banking Department of BOC. Mdm. Liu graduated from Fudan University in July 1991 with a Bachelor of Economics degree, and received her Master of Laws degree from University of Warwick, UK in September 2004.

Mr. Robert James MARTIN

Non-executive Director and a member of the Strategy and Budget Committee. Mr. Martin was appointed as an Executive Director in July 1998, and re-designated as a Non-executive Director on 1 January 2024.

Mr. Martin was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Company for 25 years until his retirement on 31 December 2023. He joined the Company in 1998 and has more than 35 years of experience in the aircraft and leasing business, having previously worked at Bank of America, The Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan and HSBC Investment Bank (Asia) Ltd. Mr. Martin is currently a director of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT). Mr. Martin graduated from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom with a Master of Arts degree in Economics.

Independent Non-executive Directors

Mr. DAI Deming (戴德明)

Independent Non-executive Director, Chairman of the Audit Committee, a member of the Remuneration Committee and the Nomination Committee. Mr. Dai was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director in May 2016.

Mr. Dai has been serving as a Professor at the Accounting Department of the School of Business of Renmin University of China since July 1996. He is also an Independent Director of Poly Developments and Holdings Group Co., Ltd. which is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and an Independent Non-executive Director of China Reinsurance (Group) Corporation which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. 

Mr. Dai was an Independent Director of China Zheshang Bank Co., Ltd. from February 2015 to February 2022, CSC Financial Co. Ltd. from August 2016 to September 2022, China Great Wall Securities Co., Ltd. from December 2022 to June 2024, and Power Construction Corporation of China, Ltd. from March 2018 to August 2024. Mr. Dai also served as the Dean of the Accounting Department of the School of Business of Renmin University of China from October 2001 to September 2010 and an Associate Professor of the Accounting Department from July 1993 to June 1996.

Mr. Dai graduated from Hunan College of Finance & Economics in the PRC with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a major in Industrial Financial Accounting in July 1983, graduated with an Accounting major in July 1986 and obtained a Master’s degree in Economics in October 1986 from Zhongnan University of Finance & Economics in the PRC, and obtained a Doctorate degree in Economics with a major in Accounting at Renmin University of China in June 1991.

Mr. FU Shula (付舒拉)

Independent Non-executive Director, Chairman of the Remuneration Committee, a member of the Audit Committee and the Nomination Committee. Mr. Fu was appointed as an independent Director in February 2011 and redesignated as an Independent Non-Executive Director in March 2016.

From 1984 to 2015, Mr. Fu held various senior positions in Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), including President of China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation, President of AVIC International Holding Corporation, Deputy Chief Economist of AVIC, Chairman of the Board of AVIC International Holding Corporation, Chairman of the Board of AVIC Aero-Engine Holding Corporation and Chairman of the Board of AVIC Economy & Technology Research Institute. Mr. Fu was an Independent Non-executive Director of Besunyen Holdings Company Limited from April 2019 to October 2023. Mr. Fu graduated with a Master’s degree in Aero Engine Design from Northwestern Polytechnical University in the PRC in July 1984.

Mr. Antony Nigel TYLER

Independent Non-executive Director, Chairman of the Risk Committee, a member of the Audit Committee and the Strategy and Budget Committee. Mr. Tyler was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director in May 2016.

Mr. Tyler was the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the International Air Transport Association (“IATA”) from 1 July 2011 to September 2016. Prior to joining IATA, Mr. Tyler was an executive director of Cathay Pacific Airways Limited from December 1996 to March 2011 and the Chief Executive from July 2007 to March 2011. He was a non-executive director of Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited from December 1996 to September 2008 and an executive director of Swire Pacific Limited from January 2008 to March 2011. Mr. Tyler was also a member of the Board of Governors of IATA and served as its Chairman from June 2009 to June 2010. Mr. Tyler is currently an independent non-executive director of Bombardier Inc. which is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Trans Maldivian Airways (Pvt) Ltd. and Qantas Airways Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Mr. Tyler graduated with a degree in Jurisprudence from Oxford University in the United Kingdom in July 1977.

Dr. YEUNG Yin Bernard (杨贤博士)

Independent Non-executive Director, a member of the Nomination Committee and the Strategy and Budget Committee. Dr. Yeung was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director in December 2016.

Dr. Yeung is the President Emeritus (Inaugural) of the Asian Bureau of Finance and Economic Research, an emeritus professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, and the Yangtze River scholar and visiting chair professor of the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China.

Dr.  Yeung was the President of the Asian Bureau of Finance and Economic Research (2013 to 2023). He was also the Stephen Riady Distinguished Professor in Finance and Strategic Management at NUS Business School (June 2008 – June 2023). He was the Dean of NUS Business School from June 2008 to June 2019. Before joining NUS, he was the Abraham Krasnoff Professor in Global Business, Economics, and Management at New York University (NYU) Stern School of Business and the Director of the NYU China House. He taught at the University of Michigan from 1988 to 1999 and at the University of Alberta from 1983 to 1988.

Dr.  Yeung was a member of the Economic Strategies Committee in Singapore (2009), a member of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in Singapore (2016-2018), and a member of the Financial Research Council of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (2010 -2013).

More information on our corporate governance can be found here.