(Yicai Global) July 17 -- Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing announced two senior appointments yesterday, naming Janice Wu as managing director, co-head of Initial Public Offering Vetting, and Karen Lok as head of Listing Compliance.

Wu has over 17 years' experience as a senior legal practitioner. She is currently deputy general counsel for TPG Asia and general counsel for TPG's infrastructure investing effort, both part of San Francisco-based global investment firm TPG.

Wu succeeded Shi Lin as Co-Head of IPO Vetting. Shi was reported to have resigned from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for personal reasons.

"I am very delighted to welcome Janice to HKEX. She has extensive experience advising on corporate and capital market matters, and I am certain she will bring invaluable expertise to the further development of the IPO Vetting team and the Listing Division more broadly," said HKEX Head of Listing, Bonnie Y Chan.

On March 25, shortly before Shi's departure, the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption sued Eugene Yeoh, ex-head of the exchange's Listing Division and a listing consultant charging him with corruption, bribery and other improper conduct in the course of several companies' IPOs and involving HKD9.15 million (USD1.2 million).

The other newly appointed executive Karen Lok is a certified accountant in Hong Kong and Australia, and has over 20 years' experience in compliance, risk management, and business operations management at several international banks and consulting firms. She was most recently a director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hong Kong, providing advisory and consulting services in risk and regulations.

"As part of our ongoing enhancements to our operations, I'm today pleased to announce a new specialist Listing Compliance function to help provide oversight and support to the Listing Division at HKEX. I am very happy to have someone of Karen's caliber and experience to join us and lead this new team," said Chan.

"With my leadership team now in place, I very much look forward to continuing to build the robustness and competitiveness of our listing regime, and to working to enhance Hong Kong's leading global position as an international financial market," Chan added.

Both Wu and Lok will report to Chan, who is head of Listing. Lok joined the bourse this week, and Wu will come aboard in September.

Editor: Ben Armour