October 26, 2007. IFRC. - Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng today unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of the CEIBS Lujiazui International Finance Research Center (IFRC). Located in the Lujiazui Finance & Trade Zone, Shanghai's banking center, the new facility will be jointly managed by CEIBS and the Shanghai Lujiazui Development (Group) Co.

Mayor Han's delegation included Shanghai Executive Vice Mayor Feng Guoqin, who delivered a congratulatory speech to celebrate the opening. The facility is located in a historic residence overlooking the Shanghai's famous Bund. "On behalf of Mayor Han and the Shanghai People's Government, let me express my warm congratulations on the official opening of the CEIBS Lujiazui International Finance Research Center. The IFRC will provide first-class research, consulting services and educational programs for financial organizations and government entities," Feng said.

The Executive Vice Mayor also expressed confidence that China's finance industry experts, as well as members of the general business community, will benefit from the new facility. He noted that the study of finance - a topic of increasing global importance - has served as one of the vital planks of CEIBS'academic curriculum during the school's 13-year history, contributing to the school's success. The Executive Vice Mayor Feng is optimistic that the IFRC will achieve the same levels of success by facilitating global-standard research and fulfilling its role as a think tank which will incubate and foster ideas to propel Shanghai into becoming an international financial hub.

Following the Executive Vice Mayor's presentation, Mayor Han unveiled a plaque commemorating the Center's official launch with the support of the Shanghai government.

Among the industry leaders, government officials and academics attending the ceremony were: CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Zhang Weijiong, ABN AMRO Chair Professor of Risk Management Chang Chun (who is also Director of the China Centre for Financial Research, CEIBS), and Lujiazui Group General Manager Yang Xiaoming. Other attendees included: representatives of the Pudong New District government, Shanghai Banking Regulatory Bureau, China Securities Regulatory Commission, China Insurance Regulatory Commission, State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Bank of Shanghai, HSBC, and more than 20 members of the media.

Through the Center, CEIBS will develop a range of courses to further educate Shanghai-based finance professionals and provide a venue for the city's financial industry's workshops, forums and seminars. At the IFRC's inaugural seminar on October 12, CEIBS hosted a Finance Salon featuring Bank of China Vice President Zhu Min. Addressing an exclusive invitation-only crowd of 40 finance executives, Zhu spoke on "Ten Features of Global Financial Patterns in the New Era." In the future, CEIBS will host a series of similar events aimed at top-level executives in the finance industry.

About the CEIBS Lujiazui International Finance Research Center
The CEIBS Lujiazui International Finance Research Center was launched by China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and Shanghai Lujiazui (Group) to serve as an authoritative and influential think tank for the development of Shanghai as an international financial center. The Center's mission is to:
 Conduct research on the critical issues related to the development of Shanghai as an international financial center;
 Integrate resources at home and abroad, and provide a high-level platform for interaction, discussion and collaboration;
 Offer first-class research, consulting and training services to financial institutions;
 Train senior international financial professionals capable of leading Chinese finance institutions into global competition;
 Provide expert financial consulting services to the local governments.
CEIBS experts who have committed to working with the Center include:
- Wu Jinglian, Baosteel Chair Professor of Economics 
- Xu Xiaonian, Professor of Economics and Finance 
- Chang Chun, ABN AMRO Chair Professor of Risk Management
- Ding Yuan, Professor of Accounting
- Xu Dingbo, Professor of Accounting
- Zhao Xinge, Associate Professor of Finance
- Xu Bin, Professor of Economics and Finance, Subject Area Coordinator (Economics and Decision Sciences)
- Zhu Yu, Professor of Finance
- Zhang Yimin, Professor of Finance

For more information, contact Laurie Underwood, CEIBS External Communications Director at 8621 2890-5505 or lunderwood@ceibs.edu