Charles Li

Charles Li Xiaojia
Born	(1961-03-25) March 25, 1961 China
Occupation	Financial executive
Years active	1991–present
Known for	CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (2010–2021)

Charles Li Xiaojia (; born 25 March 1961) is a Chinese financial executive who served as the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) from 2010 until 2021.

Biography

Born in 1961, Li initially worked in offshore oil operations before transitioning to journalism as a reporter for China Daily. He completed his undergraduate studies in journalism at Xiamen University in 1984, followed by a master's degree from the University of Alabama in 1988, and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School in 1991.

Li began his legal career practicing corporate and securities law in New York with firms such as Davis Polk & Wardwell and Brown & Wood. He later shifted to the financial sector, joining Merrill Lynch in 1994 and rising to become president of Merrill Lynch China by 1999. In 2003, he took on the role of chairman at JP Morgan Chase China.

While leading JP Morgan China between 2003 and 2009, Li was reportedly involved in recommending the employment of relatives of Chinese officials to facilitate business dealings, during a period when US authorities were investigating possible violations related to anti-bribery laws.

Upon his appointment as CEO of HKEX in 2010, Li directed significant projects including the introduction of the Stock Connect program in 2014, which allowed investors to trade securities between mainland China and Hong Kong markets. He stepped down from this position at the start of 2021.

Li is also a co-founder of Micro Connect, an investment platform designed to channel global capital into small enterprises in China. This initiative has attracted over $70 million from prominent investors such as Li Ka-shing and Adrian Cheng.

In addition to his business pursuits, Li has held trustee roles at Columbia University and Columbia Global Centers, East Asia. In 2020, he was appointed to serve a three-year term on the governing council of the University of Hong Kong.