(Yicai Global) April 3 -- Liu Liange, former Communist Party secretary and chairman of Bank of China, has become the fourth senior executive of the Chinese state-owned lender to be investigated this year.

Liu was placed under investigation for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law,” the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision said on March 31.

Liu, 62, stepped down from his positions at Bank of China on March 18. The following day, the Beijing-based lender released a statement saying that his resignation was due to personnel adjustments, thanking Liu for his “outstanding contributions” during his tenure.

He now joins Wang Jianhong, former party secretary and president of Bank of China’s Beijing branch, Gao Zongshen, ex-party secretary and vice president of its Inner Mongolia branch, and Chen Feng, former party committee member and VP of the bank’s Heilongjiang branch, in being placed under investigation since the start of January.

Ge Haijiao, former executive vice governor of Hebei province, was appointed as the bank’s new party secretary on March 31.

Before 2019, when Ge started working as a government official, the 51-year-old had a long career in the financial sector. He worked at Agricultural Bank of China as general manager of the lender’s Singapore branch and deputy GM of its international business department. Ge also served as deputy GM of China Everbright Group and president of China Everbright Bank.

Bank of China’s net profit rose 5 percent to CNY227.4 billion (USD33 billion) last year, according to its earnings report released on March 30. Operating revenue edged up 2 percent to CNY618 billion.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione