BGTA, a Chinese corporate-backed accelerator, and the Chengdu Financial Holding Group (CFHG) signed two agreements to strengthen cooperation. The deals are aimed at driving development in the region as well as positioning Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, as the main hub for fintech in China.
The first deal secures the organisation of the 2018 Chengdu Global Fintech Summit in November. Industry leaders, investors and experts from the global fintech community are expected to attend. The event is supported by Innovate Finance, an independent not-for-profit membership association representing the UK’s global fintech community. Registration to attend the summit will open soon and interested parties can contact BGTA directly about attending the event.
The second agreement establishes the creation of the Chengdu Fintech Research & Development and Training Centre in partnership with Sir John Cass Business School, which will open its doors at the beginning of July. The Centre will position itself as the preeminent provider of fintech training in Sichuan province with a view to developing key skills among financial services professionals in China.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Charles Bowman, and the Mayor of Chengdu, Luo Qiang. They endorsed the plans put forward in the partnership and celebrated the cooperation between both parties.
Helen Wang, CEO of BGTA, commented: “Both agreements signed today align perfectly with BGTA’s mission to foster the development of the global tech and investment ecosystem while strengthening cooperation between the UK and China. The Chengdu Global Fintech Summit will be instrumental in driving progress in the region and the establishment of the training centre will be crucial to supply the newly-created ecosystem with high-level professionals.”
Dimitrios Fountas, Business Development Director at Sir John Cass Business School, added: “Cass, with its long tradition of delivering expert-led financial education, and network of key technology partners, have supported the growth of London’s fintech ecosystem in many ways. Through our partnership with the Chengdu Financial Holding Group and BGTA, we are keen to support Chengdu in realising its vision of becoming a global fintech hub and stand ready to respond to a steady demand for training courses going forward.”
About BGTA
BGTA is a Chinese corporate-backed accelerator that is committed to fostering the development of a global tech and investment ecosystem through accelerating tech companies from the UK, the EU and the US in China. Headquartered in London, with China-based operations, BGTA’s open innovation network includes world-class investors, technology companies, academic organisations and government institutions.
About Chengdu Financial Holding Group
The Chengdu Financial Holding Group (CFHG) is a large-scale state-owned enterprise officially established in October 2008. It has the strong support of the Chengdu Municipal Government, who aims to improve the competitiveness of its local financial industry, covering banking, securities, insurance, credit-rating, microcredit, industrial investment funds, venture capital, assets and equity exchange, assets management and other financial services. The CFHG was established to substantiate this ambitious objective. At present, the CFHG has 10 wholly-owned subsidiaries, 6 holding subsidiaries, 14 shareholding companies and 2 joint ventures. It is the largest shareholder of Bank of Chengdu Co., Ltd, Jinta Property Insurance Co., Ltd, Chengdu Financial City Investment Development Co, Ltd etc.
About Sir John Cass Business School
An integral part of City, University of London, Sir John Cass Business School is among the global elite of business schools that hold the gold standard of ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS). Cass’s mission is to be the intellectual hub of the world’s premier financial centre, serving the needs of professionals and companies through management education and by stimulating research and debate on key issues facing international business and finance. Together with an established 50-year reputation for excellence in business research and education, Cass attracts outstanding academics, students and businesses worldwide into our energising community. Notably, the School’s Accounting and Finance courses are ranked 1st in London (Guardian University Guide 2017).
About Innovate Finance
Innovate Finance is an independent membership association that represents the UK’s global FinTech community. Founded in 2014 and supported by the City of London and Broadgate, Innovate Finance is a not-for-profit that advances the country’s leading position in the financial services sector by supporting the next generation of technology-led financial services innovators. More than 250 global members have joined the Innovate Finance ecosystem to date. These companies range from seed stage startups to global financial institutions and professional services firms.
