Category Leaders on the Move

Deutsche Bank names head of trade finance for China

LONDON, April 7 (Reuters) – Deutsche Bank has appointed Wang Tao as head of trade finance for China within its global transaction banking division, the German bank said on Friday.
Tao, who will be based in Shanghai, will look after local trade sales and the expansion of the bank’s products on offer in China.

Tao was most recently head of forfaiting for HSBC in China, where he was responsible for delivering both structured financing and forfaiting solutions within the Chinese market.

Forfaiting is a form of trade finance that allows an exporter to grant attractive credit terms to foreign buyers.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060407/3/2ip78.html

Sony China Chairman Retires

Sony China chairman Kei Kodera retired on March 31, reports Sina. Sony vice president Shizuo Takashino will replace Kei as Sony China’s new chairman. Shizuo Takashino has been Sony China’s general representative and Sony China design president since 2005. The report said that in 2006 Sony will increase its fixed-asset investment in China by about US$200 million.

http://www.pacificepoch.com/newsstories?id=58459_0_5_0_M

Sony names Takashino new chairman for China unit

SHANGHAI, April 4 (Reuters) – Sony Corp. said on Tuesday that Shizuo Takashino has been named as the new chairman of its China business, taking the helm in a market the company expects to become its second largest in the next three years.

Takashino will take over as chairman of Sony (China) Ltd. from Kei Kodera, who left the company at the end of March, said spokesman Shinji Obana.

Takashino has been in China for the last year, previously working as an executive vice president connected with the company’s Japan operations, Obana said.

The move comes amid a broader global overhaul for Sony, which has posted weak results in the last few years amid a lack of major hits for its core consumer electronics business.

In September last year, Sony’s newly appointed global chief executive Howard Stringer and President Ryoji Chubachi unveiled a sweeping restructuring plan that included the shedding of 10,000 employees, closure of several plants and sale of more than $1 billion in non-core assets.

China has been one of the company’s few bright spots of late, with annual sales of over $3 billion in a market set to overtake Japan as the company’s second largest in the next three years, Kodera told Reuters in an interview last year.
The company has set a target of reaching $8 billion in annual China sales by 2008/09.

But the company also had a misstep in China late last year, when it was forced to withdraw six digital camera models that were plagued with issues such as image uniformity and problems with their liquid crystal displays.

Obana said the company stopped taking back the models in question at the end of last month, but has not begun reselling them in China.

China Digital Communication Group CEO Chang Chun Zheng Steps Down

LOS ANGELES, CA and SHENZHEN, CHINA — (MARKET WIRE) — 04/04/06 — China Digital Communication Group (OTC BB: CHID), one of the largest and fastest growing battery components manufacturers in China, announced today the resignation of CEO and Chairman Chang Chun Zheng. Yu Xi Sun, president of China Digital, was designated by the board to assume responsibilities of CEO and chairman until the company hires a replacement for Zheng.

Sun said, “We are saddened by the departure of Mr. Zheng, who has stepped down for personal reasons. He has played a key role in the growth of our company. We wish Mr. Zheng and his family all the best. The board of directors has begun a search for a new chairman and CEO.”

Sun, who holds an M.S. degree from the Hubei University Law School, began her career as legal counsel at Hubei Xing Yuan Battery Company. She subsequently held a number of marketing positions until she was named assistant president at Shenzhen E’Jenio Science and Development Company. She went on to become vice president, then president of China Digital.

About China Digital Communication Group

China Digital Communication Group, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Shenzhen E’Jenie Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (E’Jenie), is one of China’s leading manufacturers and developers of advanced telecommunications equipment. E’Jenie sells advanced high-quality lithium-ion battery shell and cap products to all major lithium-ion battery cell manufacturers in China. E’Jenie’s products are used to power mobile phones, MP3 players, laptops, digital cameras, PDAs, camera recorders and other consumer electronic digital devices. China Digital Communication Group is continuing its expansion across East Asia, while seeking distribution partners and acquisitions in new global markets, including the U.S. For more information, visit http://www.chinadigitalgroup.com or contact Roy Teng, China Digital, (310) 461-1322, e-mail: info@chinadigitalgroup.com.

An investment profile on China Digital Communication Group may be found at http://www.hawkassociates.com/chinadigital/profile.htm.

For investor relations information regarding China Digital Communication Group, contact Frank Hawkins or Ken AuYeung, Hawk Associates, at (305) 451-1888, e-mail: info@hawkassociates.com. An online investor kit including press releases, current price quotes, stock charts and other valuable information for investors may be found at http://www.hawkassociates.com and http://www.americanmicrocaps.com.

Keith Minty Appointed as New Chairman of the Board of China Diamond Corp.

LONDON, ON, March 14 /CNW Telbec/ – The Company is pleased to announce as part of its corporate restructuring the appointment of Mr. Keith C. Minty, P. Eng., as a director who has also been elected as Chairman of the Board effective today, subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. Mr. Minty has over 25 years of international mining and financial experience and since graduating as a Mining Engineer in 1978 from Queens University, has established an excellent reputation in the mining and investment communities. Mr. Minty, has previously held the executive position of President and CEO of North American Palladium Ltd., and was instrumental in developing that company into Canada’s largest primary palladium producer. Mr. Minty received the “Mining Man of the Year” Award in 2002 for outstanding achievement in the Canadian Mining Industry.

“Keith is a versatile senior executive with demonstrated leadership strengths in developing and executing company strategies related to operations and management, financing and resource and reserve development and brings a solid track record of transforming resource companies into profitable enterprises in the mining industry” commented Sam Halbouni. “I stated previously that our objective was to build a strong management team and board of directors. The addition of Keith as Chairman of the board will provide management and the Company access to a person who has a strong corporate and mining background. With Keith’s extensive international mining and financial experience, we look forward to his contribution in advancing China Diamond Corp. and its projects.”

In addition, as mentioned in the March 8, 2006 news release, Mr. David Critoph, a Chartered Accountant and a former partner of the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche, joins the Company as a director. Mr. Critoph has extensive professional accounting experience having been actively involved in the financial industry since graduating in 1964 from the University of British Columbia

As part of the Company’s further corporate restructuring, Mr. Halbouni, who remains as a director of the Company, will now be concentrating his efforts in China to represent the Company’s interests as Chairman and legal representative of its joint venture companies, to assist management with the development of the Company’s projects, and to liaise with government officials in order to foster relationships.

Additionally, Mr. Michael Michaud, P. Geo., President and CEO, will continue to lead his technical and operating team in existing operations operational improvements and evaluate and develop the company’s China projects. Mr. Michaud with Mr. Minty’s assistance will continue to improve the company’s profile in the investment community.

“On behalf of the Company’s management and the board of directors, I wish to thank Mr. Halbouni for his past efforts and his commitment to continue to support the Company” said Mr. Michaud, “For the past 3 years, under Sam’s leadership, the Company has developed a strong management team and board of directors and has advanced the Company’s gold and diamond projects that establishes a strong foundation for the future development of the Company. The management and the board of directors appreciates Mr. Halbouni’s efforts in developing the Company and strongly support Sam in his new role which will focus his activities in China where he has acquired invaluable experience and developed strong relationships. The Company appreciates not only Sam’s strong financial support, but also the commitment of his time and dedication to the Company. The Company is pleased with the addition of Mr. Minty and Mr. Critoph that adds considerable mining and financial expertise to the Board”.

At the meeting of the directors of the Company on March 13, 2006, the board has approved the makeup of following committees:

Audit Committee: David Critoph (Chairman)
George Laforme
Keith Minty

Compensation Committee: Keith Minty George Laforme (Chairman)
David Critoph
Sylvio Escaloni

Governance Committee: Keith Minty (Chairman)
Lee Barker
Xie Datong
Sam Halbouni

As announced previously on March 8, 2006, the independent committee of the board of directors consisting of George Laforme, Lee Barker, Sylvio Escaloni and David Critoph will continue to take on the mandate to review of the Company’s current corporate governance and expenditure authorization policies and procedures in March 2006. The committee expects to report its findings and recommendations to the Governance Committee and the board by the end of the first half of 2006.
Pursuant to the Exchange Bulletin dated February 15, 2006, the Company’s securities remain halted pending clarification of the Company’s affairs as previously announced on February 24, 2006 by the Company. The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

China’s Linktone appoints Michael Li new CEO

SHANGHAI, April 3 (Reuters) – Wireless media company Linktone Ltd. said on Monday it had appointed its former chief operating officer Michael Li as its new chief executive.

Li, Linktone’s chief operating officer from 2003 until January this year, assumes the post following the resignation of previous chief executive Raymond Yang in February, the company said in a statement.

Shanghai-based Linktone also announced it had completed most of its restructuring plan at the end of the first quarter, which would improve the company’s financial performance in 2006.

Shares in Shanghai-based Linktone have fallen 37 percent since the end of last year.

Great China International Holdings Appoints Paul Deng Chief Executive Officer

SHENYANG, China, March 7, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) — Great China International Holdings, Inc. (OTC BB:GCIH.OB – News) today announced the appointment of Zhiren (Paul) Deng as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Fang Jiang, who will remain in the positions of Chairman of the Board and President.

Mr. Deng, 55, joined Great China as its Chief Business Advisor in November 2005. He previously was Chief Executive Officer of Sichuan Exposition Development Ltd., a multi-functional real estate project covering 800,000 square meters, located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

From 2003 to 2004, Mr. Deng was the Chief Consultant to Beijing Junefield Group, and for three years prior to 2003 he was Chief Executive Officer of Beijing X&D Property Consultants Ltd, which participated in the strategic planning and sales of more than 70 real estate projects in China. He is a frequent guest lecturer of Real State EMBA courses at Tsinghua University, Beijing University and Fudan University.

“We are pleased to have attracted an executive with the breadth of experience that Paul Deng brings to our company,” Mr. Jiang said. “He is widely known as the founding father of China’s real estate industry and highly respected throughout China. I am confident that under Mr. Deng’s leadership, Great China International Holdings will experience solid growth and deliver strong returns to our shareholders.”

Founded in 1989, Great China International Holdings’ wholly owned subsidiary, Shenyang Maryland International Industry Co., Ltd., is one of the largest non-state-owned real estate developers in Northeast China. The company’s core business is premium residential and commercial development and management. It currently owns and manages the President Building, which was completed in April 2002, with 25 tenants comprised of Fortune 500 companies. The company’s prior developments included the Maryland Building, Roma Resort Garden, Qiyun New Village, Peacock Garden, University Campus of Shenyang Teacher’s University, and Chenglong Garden, mostly located in Shenyang.

http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/060307/95339.html

Techedge, Inc. Appoints Dr. Shu as CEO and Chief Scientist for China BioPharma

ISELIN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–April 4, 2006–Techedge, Inc. (OTCBB:TEDG – News) today announced its appointment of Dr. Jean-Denis Shu (MD, MBA) as the CEO and Chief Scientist of its soon to be wholly owned subsidiary China BioPharma Limited.

On February 13, 2006, Techedge, Inc. announced that it had signed a letter of intent to acquire China BioPharma Limited, a Cayman island Company, which has the rights to have majority ownership in one of the largest non-governmental owned vaccine development and manufacturing companies in China. The company’s currently available products are vaccines against Influenza and Epidemic Hemorrhagic Fever. Techedge is in the process of preparing the legal document and expect to close this deal in Q2, 2006.

Formerly the Regional Director of Far East & North Pacific of Chiron Vaccines, Dr. Shu is widely recognized as a vaccine expert in China, with extensive experiences in business start-ups and general management in vaccine industry, proven track-record in medical and marketing management in France and China, and strong resource network. His past professional experiences also include General Delegate China for Aventis Pasteur, and Medical and Regulatory Affairs Manager for Pasteur Merieux Connaught, based in Lyon, France. Dr Shu was the author of several articles and books in vaccines.

A French citizen born in Shanghai, Dr. Shu is bi-cultural and tri-lingual (English, French and Chinese). He earned a Certificate of Finance and Accounting from Wharton School, a MBA from the European School of Management (ESCP-EAP) in Paris, a Diploma of Specialization on Gynecology-Obstetrics from Medical and Pharmacy College of Besancon in France, and a Medical Degree, B. Med. from Medical University of Shanghai II, in China. Dr Shu spent five years as Foreign Physician in French hospitals.

“As a witness and player, my career in vaccine industry has developed for ten years together with the growth of Chinese vaccine market that is one of the world fastest growing markets. I am very excited about this opportunity and am committed to lead China BioPharma to become a leading market player in China’s enormous vaccine and bio-pharmaceutical industry”, commented Dr. Shu.

About Techedge, Inc.

Techedge, Inc. (OTCBB:TEDG – News) is a leading developer of mobile VoIP and wireless broadband solution provider. The Company provides disruptive and low cost communications solutions combining matured radio with VoIP technologies for emerging service providers. The Company has recently repositioned itself to focus at opportunities in the fast growing bio-pharmaceutical sector in China. For more information, please visit its website at www.techedgeinc.net.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060404/20060404005622.html?.v=1

CommVault Establishes Operations in China, Appoints Philip Xu Head of China Operations

Launches Shanghai Technical Center of Excellence for Localized Support to China Market

OCEANPORT, N.J. and BEIJING, March 29 /PRNewswire/ — CommVault(R), a provider of Unified Data Management(TM) solutions, today bolstered its ability to serve global markets by establishing a representative office in China, and announced the appointment of Philip Xu as head of CommVault’s China office. CommVault also has increased its investment in the rapidly-growing Chinese market by opening a native-language support center, located in Shanghai, which will provide full support and training to CommVault customers in China. The company also announced the completion of a Master Distributor agreement with Beijing Toyou Feiji Electronics Co., Ltd., (Toyou), one of China’s leading providers of storage solutions and professional services.

Philip Xu, CommVault’s China operations general manager, will be headquartered in Shanghai. Xu’s strong leadership track record in the Asia/Pacific storage software business brings proven industry expertise and reputation to the management of CommVault sales and support offices currently located in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

“The storage software market in Asia/Pacific is forecast to have a compound annual growth rate of 16.8 percent from 2004-2009, according to projections available from industry analyst firm IDC,” said Dave West, vice president of marketing and business development at CommVault. “CommVault believes the Chinese market for storage software is primed for growth. We are making the necessary investments to establish a leadership position in this fast-paced market by building a strong local presence, with experienced local managers and full native-language support capabilities. The agreement with Toyou, in addition to CommVault’s existing OEM relationships with Dell and Hitachi Data Systems, are validations that CommVault’s innovative QiNetix technology and unified approach to data management answer the needs of China’s enterprise IT managers.”

Localized product, local support and commitment

CommVault has made a strong commitment to the Chinese storage market with the development and availability of a localized, fully-supported simplified Chinese language version of its innovative CommVault QiNetix 6.1 Unified Data Management solution. Full product support and training is provided by CommVault’s Shanghai support center, staffed by local, native-language storage experts.

CommVault users in China include Tencent, China’s leading provider of Internet and mobile value-added services. Tencent, which integrates IM across different platforms, such as Internet, mobile and fixed line networks, also is the provider of the QQ search product, which enables users to search for web pages, pictures, music, documents and news.

“We rely on CommVault Galaxy, a component of the QiNetix suite, to backup growing stores of data from more than 100 servers,” said Mr. Jiang, project manager, Tencent. “As a provider of on-demand Internet and media services, we must meet demanding RTO and RPO objectives. We are confident that Galaxy’s scalability, reliability and ease of use will help us manage our explosive growth.”

Zhou Zexiang, general manager, Toyou, said, “I’m very happy that Toyou has the opportunity to partner with CommVault. As a recognized leader in the global storage management software market, CommVault’s innovative Unified Data Management solutions will provide users in China with better value and a technically superior, cost-effective solution. This strategic relationship will increase the abilities of both companies to support users in China with practical solutions that solve the complex data management issues they are facing today.”

About CommVault

CommVault(R) provides Unified Data Management(TM) solutions for high- performance data protection, universal availability and simplified management of data on complex storage networks. The CommVault(R) QiNetix(TM) platform, based on CommVault’s Common Technology Engine, integrates Galaxy backup and recovery, snapshot management and recovery, active data migration and archiving, e-mail compliance, enterprise service level management and reporting and storage resource management software solutions. The QiNetix unified approach allows customers to add/integrate QiNetix components, at a fraction of the time, effort and money required by separate point products.

Information about CommVault is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.commvault.com/ or by calling (732) 870-4000. CommVault’s corporate headquarters is located in Oceanport, New Jersey in the United States.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding financial projections, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, such as competitive factors, difficulties and delays inherent in the development, manufacturing, marketing and sale of software products and related services, general economic conditions and others. Statements regarding CommVault’s beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future are forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. CommVault does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

CommVault Systems, CommVault Galaxy, CommVault QiNetix, DataMigrator, DataArchiver, QNet, CommServe StorageManager, MediaAgent, iDataAgent, CommCell and the CommVault logo are trademarks and may be registered trademarks in some jurisdictions of CommVault Systems, Inc. Product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

http://sys-con.com/read/200427.htm

New Google China Head, Hunted Away from Microsoft

By Jim Hedger – July 26, 2005

Back in the good old days, headhunters never got sued. If a lawyer went nuts on you, there was always a good shrink available. Being a headhunter meant never having to say you were sorry. Corporate law has evolved substantially since then.

Today, Google is getting sued for headhunting one of the brightest techno-brains in China , Dr. Kai-Fu Lee. Actually, Dr. Lee was in Redmond Washington, working for Microsoft when the deal went down and Microsoft is pretty angry about it all.

In a press release issued last Tuesday, Google reported it had hired one of China ‘s most respected computer pioneers, Dr. Kai-Fu Lee. Problem is, until Monday afternoon anyway, Dr. Lee was the corporate VP of Microsoft’s Interactive Services Division. That got Gate’s goat, big time.

Hours before Google issued the press release, Microsoft issued suit in a Washington State court against Dr. Lee and his new employer, citing breach of contract. They are seeking an injunction to prevent Dr. Lee from taking his new position as head of Google’s China Division.

“Accepting such a position with a direct Microsoft competitor like Google violates the narrow non-competition promise Lee made when he was hired as an executive,” Microsoft said in its lawsuit, as quoted in a ZDnet report . “Google is fully aware of Lee’s promises to Microsoft, but has chosen to ignore them, and has encouraged Lee to violate them.”

The suit seeks monetary damages for the loss of Dr. Lee’s services as well as injunctive measures to prevent Dr. Lee from violating a narrowly worded non-competition agreement or sharing information Microsoft claims as its intellectual property. The lawsuit states that Dr. Lee was for some time, “responsible for overall development of the MSN Internet search application.”

Calling Dr. Lee’s move a “particularly egregious” violation of a non-competition agreement that was part of his contract with Microsoft, Deputy General Counsel, Tom Burt said Dr. Lee “…has access to sensitive information, to trade secrets about our search technology and business plans and our China business strategies.”

Google is planning to open a massive Research and Development Centre in China by the end of October. With decades of investment in science and engineering, and many of the world’s top technical universities, China is seen by most in the industry to be the leading IT nation in the near future. It also has an economy developing at 9% or more per year, three times faster than most G8 economies.

The press release noted these factors stating, “China , with its thriving economy and excellent universities, is home to many outstanding computer scientists and engineers. By establishing an R&D center in China, Google is making a strong commitment to attracting and developing Chinese talent, as well as partnering with local universities and institutes. The selection of Dr. Kai-Fu Lee to lead this important operation underscores Google’s commitment to building a successful Chinese product research and development center and to expanding its international business operations.”

Google VP of Engineering, Alan Eustace said, “The opening of an R&D center in China will strengthen Google’s efforts in delivering the best search experience to our users and partners worldwide. Under the leadership of Dr. Lee, with his proven track record of innovation and his passion for technology and research, the Google China R&D center will enable us to develop more innovative products and technologies for millions of users in China and around the world.”

As for Dr. Lee himself, apparently he informed his boss at Microsoft on July 5th that he wasn’t coming back from a sabbatical he had planned and that he was in discussions with Google about China. In the press release, Google spokespersons quoted Dr. Lee saying, “It has always been my goal to make advanced technologies accessible and useful to every user, as well as to be part of the vibrant growth and innovation in China today. Joining Google uniquely enables me to pursue both of my passions and I look forward to returning to China to begin this exciting endeavor.”

This is bound to get more interesting as time develops.

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http://www.searchengineguide.com/hedger/005181.html