Securities Analyst Chief Abandons High Salary to Study Buddhism? Response: Simply Converting Years of Curiosity into Systematic Learning and Research

21st Century Business Herald Reporter Sun Yongle

Recently, news about “Brokerage Chief Officers Resigning to Study Buddhism” has gone viral in the financial circle.

Zheng Wei, the former Chief Medical Analyst at Guolian Minsheng Securities who left at the end of last year, announced on social media that she will attend the University of Hong Kong to pursue a master’s degree in Buddhism. This career move, which contrasts sharply with her previous finance industry background, quickly became a hot topic within the industry.

In response to numerous external speculations, a reporter from 21st Century Business Herald learned that Zheng Wei responded on her video account that her decision was not related to her status considerations, “It’s just turning a curiosity I’ve had for many years into systematic learning and research.”

From a high-paid researcher to a cross-sector pursuit of Buddhism, Zheng Wei’s personal career choice reflects the increasingly diverse talent flow in the securities industry and a growing focus among practitioners on inner values and personal growth.

Brokerage Chief Turns to Study Buddhism

Recently, a letter of admission from the University of Hong Kong sparked widespread attention in the financial industry.

Zheng Wei, the Chief Medical Analyst at Guolian Minsheng Securities who left in December 2025, revealed her next destination on social media. Instead of the common buy-side institutions or industrial enterprises, she chose the Faculty of Arts at the University of Hong Kong to pursue a master’s degree in Buddhism.

Public records show that Zheng Wei holds a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Science and Technology of China, with over ten years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and investment research. She initially worked in healthcare industry development, including five years in R&D and strategy at Mindray Medical.

Later, Zheng Wei transitioned to sell-side research, working at Huatai Securities and Tianfeng Securities. From 2017 to 2021, she served as the Chief Medical Analyst at Tianfeng Securities. In 2021, she joined Guolian Securities and later became the Research Institute Director’s Assistant and Chief Medical Analyst at Guolian Minsheng Securities, overseeing the team’s overall research work.

As a seasoned analyst, Zheng Wei has received awards such as the Golden Kirin and New Fortune. In her social media post, she shared her reflections on years of industry experience and her motivation for studying Buddhism.

“The official offer from the University of Hong Kong for the master’s in Buddhism has been finalized, and after six months of busy preparation, I achieved my goal,” Zheng Wei wrote. During her recent busy period with IELTS exams and university applications, many old friends speculated she might pursue an MBA or continue deepening her expertise in healthcare and related fields. “Actually, I just want to explore a peaceful path.”

Regarding her core reason for career transformation, Zheng Wei further explained, “Five years in industry, ten years in finance, and fifteen years in healthcare—this is the intertwined trajectory I have taken.” She admitted that she experienced nihilism in the highly competitive environment, which led her to decide to “change to a different foundational system to re-understand this world.”

Recently, Zheng Wei also responded to various questions on her personal video account, with the most attention on whether she was studying to obtain Hong Kong residency. She denied this and candidly stated from a financial professional’s perspective: “If it’s just for residency, that’s probably the least cost-effective route.”

Zheng Wei emphasized that her decision was not driven by residency considerations, “It’s just turning a curiosity I’ve had for many years into systematic learning and research.” Initially, she only wanted to inform friends casually on social media, but unexpectedly, it attracted widespread attention from the medical, investment, and even outside circles. The warmth she felt from this unexpected popularity was very touching.

Tian Lihui, Dean of the Institute of Financial Development at Nankai University, said Zheng Wei’s choice might be a spiritual pursuit under industry pressure, reflecting a shift from a single career path to a more diverse life plan. This “unconventional” transformation is a sign of industry maturity; as material incentives diminish in marginal utility, spiritual belonging becomes a new value coordinate.

Diverging Paths for Talent Transformation in the Securities Industry

With the cyclical adjustment of the securities industry and changes in business models, industry personnel are experiencing a wave of diversified career transitions.

According to data from the China Securities Association, as of December 31, 2025, there were 331,000 registered securities practitioners, with the total number decreasing for three consecutive years. Among them, 6,029 are analysts, and despite the overall industry adjustment, this number has expanded against the trend.

Research institute staff movement remains active. For example, among star analysts, incomplete statistics show that at least 30 chief economists and chief industry analysts changed positions in 2025.

According to iFinD data from Tonghuashun, as of March 11, the number of securities analysts increased to 6,084, a net increase of 55 from the end of 2025. The distribution by years of experience shows clear structural features: 626 analysts with less than 1 year, 2,207 analysts with 1-3 years, 1,056 with 5-8 years, and the fewest with 8-10 years. Senior analysts with over 10 years number 772, indicating some talent gaps.

The 21st Century Business Herald’s analysis finds that under the industry’s optimization and adjustment, the paths for securities practitioners are clearly diverging, mainly focusing on three directions: entering core positions in listed companies, joining government agencies, and transitioning to buy-side institutions.

First, leveraging professional advantages to join listed companies. By 2025, nearly 100 securities industry personnel had joined listed companies, with at least 70 coming from investment banking backgrounds. In March, veteran investment banker Wang Qi from CITIC Securities joined Gansu Liyuan Pharmaceutical as Executive Vice President and CFO, with 18 years of experience as a sponsor representative, having led the company’s IPO.

Second, the pursuit of stability has driven a surge in government recruitment. Public information shows that in 2025, 28 people from securities firms were recruited into the CSRC system, including five sponsor representatives; in Shanghai’s civil service recruitment, 15 came from securities firms, mostly from investment banking and research roles.

Third, the trend of sell-side talent transitioning to buy-side institutions is obvious. For example, Ding Luming, Chief of Quantitative Finance at CITIC Construction Investment, left in 2025 to establish a private equity firm; in February this year, Zhang Yidong, former Global Chief Strategy Analyst at Industrial Securities, joined Guotai Haitong, transitioning to overseas business.

Beyond traditional paths, more securities professionals, like Zheng Wei from Guolian Minsheng Securities, are choosing to cross over into other fields. For example, Wu Xiaoyu, Chief of Textiles and Apparel at Tianfeng Securities, recently shifted to offline consumer sectors and became a “soup chef.”

Even among analysts, the current sell-side talent flow shows a distinct “spindle-shaped” divergence. On one end, analysts are expanding against the trend, reflecting the industry’s strategic shift toward “research-driven” development. On the other end, experienced practitioners are leaving in multiple directions—investment banking sponsor representatives are experiencing net outflows, and many senior professionals are crossing into industry, buy-side, or even public welfare sectors. This trend indicates a structural differentiation in the talent makeup of the entire securities industry.

Industry insiders point out that this differentiation signifies the industry’s upgrade from a “channel + manpower” model to a “professional + technology” model, revealing a shift from “scale expansion” to “quality enhancement.” The talent structure is evolving from a “pyramid” to an “olive-shaped” model. The simultaneous loss of core talent and the growth of foundational teams are typical signals of industry maturity and a move toward high-quality development through structural renewal.