Exeter China Alumni Association (ECAA)

The Exeter China Alumni Association (ECAA) was officially founded in 2012 by Mr Wenjie Li (MSc Accounting and Finance, 2012), under the full official authorisation of the University of Exeter.

Headquartered in Shanghai, the ECAA has established official volunteer teams in key cities across the country and overseas, responsible for the planning and organisation of local official alumni events and the delivery of alumni services. Our scope covers all Chinese alumni of the University, whether based in mainland China or residing overseas.

Since its establishment, the ECAA has built a comprehensive governance structure led by the Committee and a national volunteer service system. As of 2025, the ECAA has provided services to more than 13,500 Chinese alumni of the University of Exeter, making it one of the largest and most well-established official national alumni associations worldwide.

Read more about our development history and founding mission via our Welcome Message for New Alumni, A Letter from the President of the ECAA, and Personal Introduction Page of Exeter China Alumni Association President Mr. Wenjie Li.

Official Authorisation:

The Exeter China Alumni Association (ECAA) is the sole officially mandated alumni organisation of the University of Exeter within the People's Republic of China.

Operating in full alignment with the University of Exeter's values, governance standards, and global development strategy, the ECAA serves as the only official core platform for Chinese alumni of the University of Exeter (including Chinese nationals based in mainland China and those residing overseas) to conduct alumni liaison, professional networking, community building, and related official initiatives in China.

The ECAA is the only organisation in China permitted to use the University’s name and branding in relation to organising, promoting and managing alumni events in China.

Past and upcoming events

访问ECAA网页

Aims and Objectives

Our core mission is to foster enduring, lifelong connections between Chinese alumni and the University of Exeter, and to build a warm alumni ecosystem. Through online and offline community events, volunteer services, industry exchanges, and collaboration with the University, we continuously empower alumni in their professional development and personal growth, promote the brand image and academic achievements of the University of Exeter in China, and provide full-cycle official support and guidance for current students, prospective students, and graduates.

Through a diverse range of formats including forums, lectures, industry seminars, our flagship Career Mentor Scheme, and networking events, we are committed to building an official platform for alumni to update their professional knowledge, share experiences, access resource matching, and advance their careers. This platform enables alumni to broaden their industry horizons, exchange professional insights, discuss development topics, access business opportunities, strengthen friendships with fellow graduates, and pursue collaborative career development. Meanwhile, we consistently act as the core bridge connecting Exeter alumni across the globe, upholding the University’s motto: Lucem sequimur (We follow the light), ensuring the bond between alumni and their alma mater transcends geographical boundaries and lasts a lifetime.

Core Responsibilities

Under the Official Authorisation Letter formally issued by the University of Exeter, our core mandated responsibilities are:

To represent the legitimate rights and interests of University of Exeter alumni in China, and oversee the planning, organisation and management of all official alumni events, community building initiatives and alumni-related projects across mainland China.

To use the University of Exeter’s name, official visual identity, brand assets and associated intellectual property in accordance with the University’s brand management policies, exclusively for authorised alumni events and official communications in China.

To establish, operate and manage the only official alumni communication platforms and digital channels for University of Exeter alumni in China, including the official websites, WeChat Official Accounts, WeChat Mini-Program, official social media accounts on all mainstream platforms, and official alumni communities.

To represent the University of Exeter in establishing and maintaining official cooperative relationships with Chinese government departments, social organisations (including the Western Returned Scholars Association), universities, enterprises and other institutions, to advance collaboration between the University and Chinese stakeholders in academic exchange, talent development, student recruitment and graduate employment.

To provide full-cycle alumni services including career development support, industry exchange, community services and academic guidance for alumni in China.

Wenjie Li – Chair of the ECAA

Wenjie Li 

Senior Finance Executive & Alumni Community Builder   Founder & President, Exeter China Alumni Association (ECAA)   Executive Director & Team Head of Investment Banking, Kaiyuan Securities  

 Wenjie Li, a graduate of the University of Exeter (MSc Accounting and Finance, 2012), is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in investment banking, financial management, and risk control. He has led large teams in executing complex capital market transactions while also building and leading a global alumni network of over 10,000 members. He integrates leading financial expertise with a long-term commitment to community building, supporting both corporate growth and talent development, serving as an exemplary practitioner and ambassador of the University of Exeter's motto, “Lucem sequimur” (We follow the light). 

Core Expertise & Industry Insights 

Capital Markets: Extensive experience across STAR Market, ChiNext, Main Board, Beijing Stock Exchange, and Hong Kong markets; led or participated in numerous IPOs, refinancing, and M&A transactions. 

Sector Focus: Deep expertise in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and TMT, with strong capability in identifying innovation and supporting high-growth companies.

Corporate Finance: Specialises in pre-IPO structuring, internal controls, and governance enhancement

Talent Development: Established structured training systems, including dual-mentor programmes, to develop investment banking professionals.

 Professional Achievements & Leadership 

Wenjie Li holds multiple professional qualifications (HKICPA, FIPA, FFA, CNMA) with experience across international accounting firms and leading securities companies. He currently serves as Executive Director and Team Head at Kaiyuan Securities, leading a team of 40+ professionals and contributing to internal review committees. 

Project Experience: Successfully led or contributed to landmark capital market projects across healthcare and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Industry Recognition: Seconded to regulatory authorities for IPO inspections; invited lecturer and external advisor to exchanges and regulators, including Shanghai Stock Exchange’s ’40 Lectures on STAR Market Listing’.

Thought Leadership: Contributed to industry guidelines and regularly speaks at universities and professional forums.

 Outstanding Contribution to the University  

Wenjie has made sustained contributions to the University of Exeter community, deeply embodying the relationship of “mutual illumination and shared growth” between alumni and their alma mater. 

During Studies (2011–2012): Student representative on Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC); Blue Life Mentor supporting 89 international students; contributor to early accreditation efforts.

Triple Accreditation Support: Invited alumni representative for AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation review.

Alumni Leadership: Founded the Exeter China Alumni Association (ECAA) in 2012, growing it into a 10,000+ member global network delivering 200+ events and mentoring programmes.

Strategy & Innovation: Authored alumni strategy adopted by the University; led development of ECAA WeChat Mini-Program.

Crisis Leadership: Led COVID-19 relief efforts supporting over 1000 Chinese students in Exeter through coordinated international logistics and supplying PPE to those in need.

 Academic Exchange and Industry Engagement 

Wenjie actively bridges academia and industry. He serves as a Master’s supervisor at Shanghai Business School and guest lecturer at the University of Exeter, while advising regulators and exchanges. He is a frequent speaker on capital markets, due diligence, and sector financing. 

Honors and Recognition 

2026: The ECAA volunteer team under his leadership won the University's inaugural Global Alumni Group of the Year Award. 

2025: Finalist, Social Action Award, British Council Study UK Alumni Awards (China). 

2020: Recognised as an Outstanding Anti-pandemic Volunteer. 

2018: Recipient of the University of Exeter's inaugural Nicholas Bull Award for the Exceptional Support of the Alumni Community. 

2012-2025: Recognized multiple times by the University for his sustained and outstanding contributions to the alumni community, receiving awards including the Exeter Award, Key Social Impact Award, Outstanding Alumni Contribution Award, Annual Outstanding Volunteer Award, and the Most Influential Alumni Award. 

 Career Synopsis 

Securities Co., Ltd., Investment Banking Headquarters, Executive Director / Team Head

Guotai Haitong Securities Co., Ltd., Investment Banking Headquarters, Healthcare Industry Group, Director

Everbright Securities Co., Ltd., Investment Banking Quality Control Headquarters, Senior Vice President

RSM China CPA LLP, Audit Department, Senior Manager

Exeter China Alumni Association, Founder & President

Professional Qualifications 

香港注册会计师 (HKICPA)、澳洲资深公共会计师 (FIPA)、英国资深财务会计师 (FFA)、中国高级管理会计师 (CNMA)Hong Kong CPA, FIPA, FFA, CNMA 

Contact 

Contact via his personal email at alanlee6688@foxmail.com. 

Committee

The ECAA Core Committee consists of 16 official members, all of whom are graduates of the University of Exeter. They manage the daily operations of the alumni association on a volunteer basis.

As of April 2026, ECAA has 54 officially registered annual volunteers (including Committee members), covering more than 20 cities across China. They dedicate themselves to roles including event execution, social media operation, membership services, external liaison, technical operation and maintenance, and legal compliance, serving as the solid foundation for the sustainable development of ECAA. We hereby list their names to express our gratitude and recognition:

Yiming Cao, Dandan Huang, Jingyu Zhang, Yuqiong He, Qianxi An, Kaiwen Hou, Boya Gao, Minjian Zhang, Fangqi Yao, Danfeng He, Lipu Feng, Xingyu Sun, Qihao Zhang, Chang Zhu, Yani Chen, Yiwei Wang, Yichen Bao, Youchang Luo, Denis Schemmert, Cong Zhou, Yiman Wu, Hanqin Zhang, Ruixin Zheng, Xinyi Qian, Hanzhe Yan, Xiaofei Wang, Chunlin Zhang, Shiyi Jin, Zhangqiyan Liu, Ruishan Xue, Zihan Wang, Jiayu Cui, Jingyi Jia, Meishu Lin, Fangyin Liu, Yanfei Zhu, Zhongxiang Wu, Yang Li.

Getting Involved

Subject to compliance with the alumni management regulations of the University of Exeter and ECAA (e.g., Membership and Volunteer Regulations), all individuals who have studied, researched, exchanged, or worked at the University are equal and valued members of our alumni family. We warmly welcome all alumni to join our official alumni community and participate in the activities and development of the alumni association.

Official Membership Registration

Register by scanning the QR code on the page. You can also complete the registration by searching for "埃克塞特大学校友会" on the WeChat Mini-Program. Upon successful review and becoming an officially certified member, you will be eligible to apply to join the official alumni WeChat groups segmented by region and industry, participate in various alumni events we organise regularly, and access exclusive member resources and services. This is an alumni platform dedicated to mutual assistance, sharing and growth, helping you connect with alumni worldwide and achieve two-way empowerment in your career development and personal growth.

Volunteer with ECAA

The ECAA is run by a team of dedicated alumni volunteers who selflessly contribute their time and professional expertise to support and grow the University of Exeter's alumni community in China. The success of the ECAA is attributed to the dedication of our volunteers. We invite you to join us as a volunteer, participate in event organisation, content creation, brand promotion, community management and other work.

Volunteer Benefits: Volunteer certificate officially issued by the University of Exeter, exclusive recognition and gifts for outstanding volunteers, priority access to official University of Exeter events, and exclusive alumni resource matching channels.

How to Apply: To apply to join our volunteer team, you may add Ms Yaocheng Qian on WeChat (ID: AmyQ_Eva) or the official alumni liaison WeChat (ID: ExeterAlumniECAA). Please include your Chinese full name, year of graduation, and major in the message remarks when submitting your application. You may also click here to complete and submit the volunteer application form online.

Distinguished Senior Alumni

The years spent at our alma mater have endowed us all with a shared identity and enduring bond. Today, as you have become a trailblazer in academia, public service, business, and a wide range of other fields, the original aspiration of Lucem sequimur (We follow the light) has perhaps taken on a new meaning. It is no longer only about personal achievement, but also about using your light to illuminate the journey of your fellow alumni - and in doing so, discover new inspiration and connections for your own career.

The ECAA invites senior alumni who graduated more than a decade ago to become core partners in our thriving community.

Within our community, you can:

Share Resources and Pursue Collaborative Development: Through the trusted network built by the alumni association, we facilitate efficient connections for cross-industry and cross-sector project cooperation and investment opportunities. Whether you seek to support alumni-owned enterprises in entering the capital market, or are looking for key expert advisors, we can precisely link you to the critical resources within our ecosystem.

Pass on Your Experience and Shape the Future: Through our Career Mentor Scheme or Industry Expert Scheme, you can empower the most promising young alumni with your invaluable insights and expertise in the most impactful way. Your guidance has the potential to transform a young person’s career, while you will also draw inspiration from fresh perspectives, fulfilling a meaningful legacy of leadership.

Return to Sincerity and Reconnect with Your Original Aspiration: Through interactions with like-minded outstanding alumni, and through genuine knowledge sharing and experience giving back, you can rediscover the profound camaraderie and deep sense of belonging within our alma mater’s family.

We believe that the strongest bonds are forged through shared values and mutual achievement. If you are willing to participate in this in-depth value co-creation in any form, please contact us (President’s WeChat ID: alanlee13). Together, let us turn the lifelong bonds forged at Exeter into a driving force that propels each of us towards broader horizons.

We look forward to speaking with you and exploring together how we can turn these connections into an even more profound and far-reaching impact.

Social Media

Important Notice: The following are the only official platforms authorised by the University of Exeter and exclusively operated by the ECAA. All other accounts, communities, and websites operating under the name of the University of Exeter / Exeter China Alumni Association are unauthorised. All alumni are requested to carefully verify the authenticity of any platform regarding alumni activity in China.

Official Websites

Platform Name	Official URL
University of Exeter China Alumni Association Official English Website	https://www.exeter.ac.uk/alumnisupporters/networks/china/
University of Exeter China Alumni Association Official Chinese Website	https://www.universityofexeter.cn/alumni/
University of Exeter China Alumni Comprehensive Service Platform	https://www.exeteralumni.com.cn/h5/

Official Contact Emails

Name	Email Address
Official External Liaison Email of Exeter China Alumni Association	ecalumni@163.com
University of Exeter Global Alumni Advancement Office Email	alumni@exeter.ac.uk

Official Liaison WeChat

WeChat Purpose	Official ID	Guidance to Add
Official Alumni Liaison WeChat	ExeterAlumniECAA	Search the ID in WeChat, please note: Name + Graduation Year + Major + City when adding
Volunteer Liaison WeChat	AmyQ_Eva	Search the ID in WeChat, please note: Volunteer Application + Name + Graduation Year + Major + City when adding

Official Alumni WeChat Groups System

ECAA's official WeChat groups are divided into four tiers: National Groups, Regional Groups, City Groups, and Industry-Specific Groups. All official groups are registered with the University of Exeter and co-managed by members of the ECAA Committee and certified volunteers. There are no other privately operated official groups.

Group Tier	Official Full Group Name
National Groups	Exeter 校友会【全国 I】, Exeter 校友会【全国 II】, Exeter 校友会【全国 III】, Exeter 校友会【全国 IV】, Exeter 校友会【全国 V】, Exeter 校友会【全国 VI】, Exeter 校友会【全国 VII】, etc.
Regional Groups	Exeter 校友会【华东】, Exeter 校友会【华南】, Exeter 校友会【华北】, Exeter 校友会【华西】, Exeter 校友会【华中】
City Groups	Exeter 校友会【北京】, Exeter 校友会【上海】, Exeter 校友会【广深】, Exeter 校友会【合肥】, Exeter 校友会【杭州】, Exeter 校友会【成都】
Industry-Specific Groups	Exeter 校友会【金融】, Exeter 校友会【法律】, Exeter 校友会【科技】, Exeter 校友会【地产】, etc.

Group Joining Rules & Verification: In principle, an alumnus/alumna may apply to join up to four groups at different tiers. Group applications can only be submitted through the regular group entry channel published on the official WeChat accounts, via the official liaison WeChat ID ExeterAlumniECAA, or by contacting the volunteer WeChat ID AmyQ_Eva. Please note your Chinese name + graduation year + major + city in the application, and you can only join the group after passing the alumni identity verification.

Important Reminder: All official alumni WeChat groups of ECAA are created and maintained on a daily basis by the only official liaison WeChat ID: ExeterAlumniECAA, who acts as the group owner/core group administrator. There are no official groups created by any other personal accounts. If you have any doubts about the official authenticity of any WeChat group, please be sure to contact and verify through the official ECAA email ecalumni@163.com or the official global alumni email of the University of Exeter alumni@exeter.ac.uk.