The last time Li Hong appeared at a public event dates back to October of last year. At that time, China Pingmei Shenma Holding Group and Bank of Zhengzhou held a strategic cooperation agreement signing ceremony. Zhao Fei, Chairman of Bank of Zhengzhou, attended the ceremony, while Li Hong presided over it in her capacity as the bank's Party Committee Deputy Secretary and President.

Following this event, subsequent public activities of Bank of Zhengzhou featured executives led by Zhao Fei, such as Deputy President Sun Runhua or Assistant President Zhang Houlin, with Li Hong rarely seen.

In February 2026, Bank of Zhengzhou suddenly announced Li Hong's departure. She will no longer hold any positions at the bank or its controlling subsidiaries.

This externally-appointed female president had once become a hot topic of market discussion. She joined Bank of Zhengzhou at the end of 2024, had her qualification approved in early 2025, and served as President for just over a year.

Bank of Zhengzhou had initially placed high expectations on her. This was especially significant as the position of President had been vacant for over a year prior to her appointment. The bank's former President was Zhao Fei, who had been promoted to Chairman in 2023.

Being recognized by Zhao Fei as a key deputy, Li Hong's capabilities were undoubtedly strong. Li Hong had previously worked at the Postal Savings Bank of China, Beijing Branch, for over 16 years. She held positions including General Manager of the Planning and Finance Department, Senior Business Manager, Party Committee Member, Deputy President, and Chairperson of the Labor Union. She oversaw major front, middle, and back-office functions such as corporate business, financial interbank business, risk management, credit approval, legal compliance, operations management, financial planning, and the general office, making her a relatively versatile talent.

Li Hong's departure indicates, on one hand, that experience gained at large state-owned banks is not entirely directly applicable at Bank of Zhengzhou. On the other hand, it signifies that internal personnel adjustments within Bank of Zhengzhou are still ongoing.

In the first half of 2025 alone, 11 members of the bank's board, supervisors, and senior management departed. These included three Deputy Presidents and three Assistant Presidents: Fu Chunqiao, Guo Zhibin, Sun Haigang, Li Hong, Liu Jiuqing, and Li Lei. The departures also included five board members: Wang Dan, Wang Shihao, Li Yanyan, Li Shuxian, and Song Ke.

Entering 2026, Bank of Zhengzhou has been focused on replenishing its talent pool. The latest information shows that the bank has appointed Wang Sentao as a Deputy President.

Wang Sentao, born in the 1970s, worked at China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation starting in 2001. From 2007, he was employed at the Henan Branch of China Development Bank, where he held positions such as Deputy Division Chief of Client Department 1, Deputy Division Chief of the Planning and Development Department, Senior Manager of Client Department 1, and Senior Manager of the Planning and Development Department. He also previously held temporary posts as Deputy Division Chief of the Fiscal, Financial, and Credit Construction Office at the Henan Provincial Development and Reform Commission and as Deputy District Chief of the Erqi District People's Government in Zhengzhou City.

This indicates Bank of Zhengzhou's preference for talent with government work experience.

The latest management list on the bank's official website includes Board Secretary Han Huili, Deputy President Sun Runhua, Assistant President Zhang Houlin, Chief Risk Officer Pan Feng, and Assistant President Gao Rui. Among them, the qualifications for Assistant President Gao Rui and Chief Risk Officer Pan Feng were approved only recently.

Currently, the position of President at Bank of Zhengzhou is vacant once again, increasing the pressure on Zhao Fei's shoulders.

After Zhao Fei took the helm, Bank of Zhengzhou experienced a consecutive decline in operating revenue. In 2023 and 2024, the bank's revenue decreased by 9.5% and 5.8%, respectively. It was only in the first three quarters of 2025 that the bank returned to a state of dual growth in both revenue and net profit. Maintaining this profit growth still presents certain challenges.

The capital market's response to Bank of Zhengzhou has been tepid. Data from Wind shows that among 42 A-share listed banks in 2025, only seven saw their stock price decline for the full year, and Bank of Zhengzhou was one of them.