Dr Zhang Lifen is professor at the School of Journalism, Fudan University in Shanghai. He also serves as the Chief Advisor for the China Business Network (CBN), the largest business media group in China.

Between 2004-2015 he was the founding editor of FTChinese,com, the FT’s award-winning Chinese language business web publication. He was also an associate editor at the FT.

Prior to joining the FT, He was with the BBC for more than 10 years as assistant producer for the BBC television, then producer, senior producer, senior trainer in journalism/production and news and current affairs editor at the BBC World Service.

He obtained his BA degree in journalism at Fudan University and stayed on as a research-teaching assistant. As the recipient of the prestigious SBFSS scholarship (Sino-British Friendship Scholarship Scheme), he got his PhD in Communications at University of Leicester in England.

He has been visiting professors at the National Chengchi University in Taipei, the Baptist University in HK, University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong, and Fudan University in Shanghai.

He received various awards including the SOPA journalism award、the BBC Onnasis Bursary, the State Street Award for Outstanding Contributions in Institutional Journalism). As a media leader, he has been a regular moderator and speaker at the World Economic Forum.