Less than two weeks after news broke of the former chairman being investigated, Jilin Bank's leadership has undergone another major change.
On December 9, sources confirmed that Jilin Bank recently held a leadership meeting, appointing Chen Zhixing as the new chairman while removing Qin Jizhang, who had led the bank for nearly two and a half years. Public records show that Chen Zhixing, 46, currently serves as a member of the Changchun Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and Secretary of the Municipal Financial Work Committee. He previously held the position of president at Jilin Bank.
Notably, on November 24, the Jilin Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection announced an investigation into Chen Yulong, former chairman of Jilin Bank and current director of the provincial finance department, for suspected serious disciplinary violations. Qin Jizhang had previously spoken publicly about his collaboration with Chen Yulong in driving retail transformation at Jilin Bank, aiming to create a "Jilin version of CM BANK."
**Chen Zhixing Takes the Helm at Jilin Bank** This marks Chen Zhixing’s second tenure in the bank’s leadership. Before his current political role, he served as Jilin Bank’s party committee deputy secretary, director, and president from November 2023 to December 2024. His career includes long-term service at China Development Bank, holding various legal and credit-related positions, as well as a stint as vice mayor of Meihekou.
**Qin Jizhang’s Removal Follows Inspection** Reports on December 3 indicated that Qin Jizhang was under investigation, though specifics were undisclosed. On October 9, Jilin’s provincial inspection team began a two-month review of the bank, focusing on potential violations of discipline by senior executives. Qin chaired the inspection meeting and pledged cooperation.
**Retail Transformation and Challenges** Qin Jizhang, with 15 years of experience at CM BANK, joined Jilin Bank in 2020 as vice president overseeing retail operations. In his book, *New Logic of Bank Retail Transformation*, he detailed how former president Chen Yulong recruited him to spearhead reforms amid the bank’s risk of "explosive crises." Qin later became president and then chairman, committing to the bank’s retail-focused turnaround despite external offers.
Under Qin’s leadership, Jilin Bank expanded its retail footprint, with individual customers surpassing 13 million—over half of Jilin’s population—and assets exceeding 830 billion yuan by September 2025. However, Q3 profits fell 5.35% year-on-year to 1.94 billion yuan.
**Ongoing Risks and Regulatory Scrutiny** A July 2025 rating report by United Credit noted improvements in Jilin Bank’s governance and capital base but highlighted high levels of watch-list loans, weak profitability, and frequent leadership changes as lingering concerns. The bank, once a high-risk institution, has stabilized but faces continued pressure on asset quality.
Qin Jizhang, an active social media commentator on banking reforms, last updated his public account on November 20.
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