Behind the Graft Probe Into China’s First Banking CIO
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A former senior executive at Bank of Communications Co. Ltd. (BOCOM), who was a trailblazer in China’s banking sector as its first-ever chief information officer (CIO), has been placed under a corruption investigation five years after his retirement.
The probe into Hou Weidong, a former executive vice president of the “Big Six” state-owned lender, is believed to focus on his lengthy tenure overseeing the bank’s information technology (IT) operations, with one lead possibly connecting him to disgraced former BOCOM Chairman Jiang Chaoliang, Caixin has learned from multiple sources.
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- Hou Weidong, BOCOM’s first CIO and former executive vice president, is under corruption investigation, five years after retiring in 2020.
- The probe focuses on IT operations and possible links to ex-chairman Jiang Chaoliang, recently expelled for large-scale corruption.
- Complaints about Hou’s IT management date back to 2015, amid allegations of integrity risks and tight control over IT procurement.
- Bank of Communications Co. Ltd.
- Bank of Communications Co. Ltd. (BOCOM) is one of China's "Big Six" state-owned lenders. A former executive, Hou Weidong, who was the bank's first-ever Chief Information Officer (CIO) and executive vice president, is under a corruption investigation. The probe focuses on his 18-year tenure overseeing BOCOM's IT operations, with potential links to former BOCOM Chairman Jiang Chaoliang. The bank's Communist Party committee has vowed to eradicate the "toxic influence" of Hou's case.
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd.
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. is mentioned as the country's largest bank by assets. Hou Weidong, who is under a corruption investigation, worked in IT roles at this bank before joining Bank of Communications Co. Ltd.
- 2002：
- Hou Weidong joined Bank of Communications (BOCOM).
- 2004：
- Jiang Chaoliang began serving as chairman of BOCOM.
- 2008：
- Jiang Chaoliang ended his tenure as chairman of BOCOM.
- 2010：
- Hou Weidong was promoted to executive vice president at BOCOM.
- 2015：
- Hou Weidong became an executive director at BOCOM.
- 2015：
- An anti-corruption inspection tour of BOCOM took place; many complaint letters targeting Hou’s management were submitted.
- 2016：
- The anti-corruption inspection officially noted BOCOM had integrity risks in centralized procurement and project bidding.
- 2017：
- Hou’s responsibilities were adjusted from CIO to overseeing the bank’s corporate business.
- 2020：
- Hou Weidong retired from BOCOM.
- Early 2025：
- Jiang Chaoliang was put under investigation.
- 2025-10-27：
- Jiang Chaoliang was expelled from the party and dismissed from public office.
- 2025-10-28：
- The investigation into Hou Weidong was announced; BOCOM’s Communist Party committee held a meeting vowing to eradicate the 'toxic influence' of Hou’s case.
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