10 Facts About Shi Zhengrong

Shi Zhengrong is a Chinese-Australian businessman and philanthropist.

Shi Zhengrong is the founder and, up to March 2013, chairman and chief executive officer of Suntech Power.

Shi Zhengrong's identical twin brother is Chen Henglong, who is a tycoon.

Shi Zhengrong finished his undergraduate study at Changchun University of Science and Technology, and obtained his Master's degree from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Shi Zhengrong acquired Australian citizenship and returned to China in 2001 to set up the solar power company Suntech Power.

Shi Zhengrong was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2009.

In 2009, Shi Zhengrong received the Oslo Business for Peace Award, an award chosen by Nobel winners to leaders in the private sector who have demonstrated transformative and positive change through ethical business practices.

Amid fierce price competition on its products, on 20 March 2013, the Suntech board declared bankruptcy in the wake of defaulting on US$541 million-worth of bonds, Shi Zhengrong had been demoted from chairman to director earlier that month.

The Financial Times, quoting the Shanghai Securities News, reported at the time that Shi Zhengrong's movements were being restricted and that he was not allowed to leave China pending an investigation into his role at Suntech.

Shi Zhengrong has donated funds to a renewable energy research unit at the University of NSW, Australia "because he felt it was not getting an appropriate level of government support", according to Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne.