Liang Xinjun

Co-Founder, Fosun Group

Liang Xinjun co-founder of Fosun Group, was the vice-chairman and CEO of the group from 1992 to March 2017. He is now a member of the private equity investment fund committee at the Asset Management Association of China, a chief investment expert at the Insurance Association of China and a director of the Board of Trustees of Tongji University. Liang obtained his bachelor's degree in genetic engineering from Fudan University in 1991, his master’s degree in business administration from Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in 2007 and his doctorate in business administration (global financial management) from Arizona State University in 2015.

An attendee wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset takes part in a concert experience in the metaverse at the SK Telecom Co. stand on the opening day of the MWC Barcelona at the Fira de Barcelona venue in Barcelona, Spain, on 28 February 2022. (Angel Garcia/Bloomberg)

Metaverse: What is it and who's in control?

The phrase “metaverse” has been bandied about but what exactly is it and how far along is the project? Academic James Pang and entrepreneur Liang Xinjun explain that the implications of this development are larger than most think. The metaverse is not so much a sub-world to enter into on the side but the integration of the real and virtual worlds and economic systems, essentially creating a new world with new governance structures and norms. US and Chinese firms are, of course, racing to get a big slice of the future.