2008 Foreign Exchange Losses Controversy
In October 2008, the Chairman Larry Yung disclosed that the firm lost HK$15 billion (US$2 billion) due to "unauthorized trades". The unauthorised trades were hedges with a contract value of A$9 billion against the Australian dollar, taken out to cover against a A$1.6 billion prospective acquisition and capital expenditure. Losses were incurred on the contracts when the currency declined from 98.5% against the US dollar to less than 70%. Its parent company, CITIC pledged its support to this subsidiary.
The board became aware of this on 7 September 2008, and disclosure was made to the financial markets after trading in its shares was suspended on 20 October. The company and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission faced questions by legislators about the severe delays in their disclosure, considering the company made a pursuant to a proposed acquisition, that as at 9 September 2008, "the Directors are not aware of any material adverse change in the financial or trading position of the Group since 31 December 2007". When the shares resumed trading, the share price had fallen by some 75% since the previous close.
As a result of the revelations, two officers were forced to resign in disgrace. Due to her involvement in the loss, the chairman's daughter was demoted. The chairman claimed his daughter Frances Yung had not informed him about the situation before its discovery. Managing Director Henry Fan temporarily stepped down from the Executive Council and the chairmanship of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, and all other major public positions he held with effect 24 October 2008.
On 3 April 2009, trading in CITIC Pacific shares was once again suspended, and the Hong Kong Police searched the company's office as part of an investigation into whether the company directors had made false statements about the foreign-exchange contracts, as well as company announcements made between July 2007 and March 2009, or had conspired to defraud. On 8 April, chairman Larry Yung resigned, citing the effect of the Commercial Crimes Bureau's visit to the company on public opinion; Managing Director Henry Fan resigned at the same time. They were replaced by Chang Zhenming, the Chairman of the CITIC Group.
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