Dr. Qi Daqing aged 45, has been our independent non-executive director since May 2008. He taught as an assistant professor and then an associate professor in accounting at the Chinese University of Hong Kong between 1996 and 2002. Mr. Qi joined the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in July 2002 where he currently serves as a professor of Accounting and associate dean. He also serves as an independent director and a member of the audit committee of Sohu.com Ltd., Focus Media Holding, Ltd. Honghua Group Limited and Focus Technology Co., Ltd., and an independent director of China Vanke Co., Ltd. Mr. Qi obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biological physics in 1985 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in international mass communication in 1987, both from Fudan University in Shanghai. He received an MBA degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1992 and then a Ph.D. degree in accounting from the Michigan State University in 1996.

Mr. Qi currently holds directorships in the following publicly listed companies: Sohu.com Ltd. (NASDAQ);  Focus Media Holding, Ltd. (NASDAQ); Honghua Group Limited (Hong Kong Stock Exchange), Focus Technology Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen Stock Exchange) and China Vanke Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen Stock Exchange).

Through his roles as an independent director in various companies and as a result of his overall professional experience, Mr. Qi has obtained expertise in accounting and financial management. In addition to lectures and presentations in accounting issues at various professional settings, he has authored research papers on accounting, financial reporting, capital market and other related topics that are published in leading academic journals. Mr. Qi is experienced in reviewing and analysing financial statements of public companies.