Mystery deepens over who is the real buyer for HSBC's Ping An stake

Reports that a secretive mainland businessman with close links to Hong Kong tycoons and mainland officials played a key role in Charoen Pokphand Group's plan to buy HSBC's Ping An stake raise fresh questions about the real buyer and the source of funding for the deal.

HSBC this month said it would exit from China's No 2 life insurer by selling its entire 15.6 per cent Ping An stake for US$9.4 billion to CP, a Thai food exporter with no experience in insurance but well connected to Beijing.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1111729/mystery-deepens-over-who-real-buyer-hsbcs-ping-stake