The Chinese businessman Bao Fan, very prominent in the tech world in his country and missing for two weeks, "
cooperates
" with an investigation opened by the authorities, said his company.
Bao Fan, 52, is the founder of China Renaissance, a major Chinese private investment bank specializing in tech investments.
The group notably oversaw the IPO of several digital giants, including the e-commerce specialist JD.com.
He is also at the origin of a merger in 2015 between the local VTC champion, Didi, and a competitor of the time, Kuaidi Dache.
His disappearance, which raises fears of a new wave of takeover of the financial sector by the Chinese authorities, has unscrewed the action of the group in Hong Kong.
On Sunday evening, China Renaissance said it was "
aware that Mr. Bao is currently cooperating with an investigation by certain authorities
" in mainland China.
"
The company will duly cooperate and attend to any legal request from the relevant authorities of the People's Republic of China, if any,
" the group added.
China Renaissance, which reported the disappearance on February 16, saying it was “unable
to contact (CEO) Bao Fan
,” did not specify the exact nature of the investigation or respond to a request for comment. by AFP.
Read alsoThe disappearance of a famous banker revives the anxieties of Chinese tech giants
This disappearance is reminiscent of that of the Canadian tycoon of Chinese origin, Xiao Jianhua, who vanished in 2017 from a hotel in Hong Kong.
Reputed to be close to the top Chinese communist leaders, he had according to press reports been abducted by agents from Beijing.
Xiao Jianhua was at the time of his arrest one of the richest men in China, with an estimated fortune of $6 billion.
The ex-businessman was finally sentenced last year to 13 years in prison for fraud.
According to Caixin, Chinese authorities detained China Renaissance chairman Cong Lin last September after an investigation was opened into his work at state-owned ICBC bank.
President Xi Jinping has led a crusade against corruption in recent years, which has landed many business leaders in prison, particularly in the financial and new technology sectors.
Founded in 2005, China Renaissance, which claims more than 700 employees worldwide, is present in Singapore and the United States.