Zhong, based in Hong Kong as part of the marketing team for the London Metal Exchange (LME) in Asia, told Reuters on Wednesday that she was leaving "to pursue other challenges and opportunities". Friday will be her last day in the office.

A HKEX spokesman declined to comment on the matter.

Zhong's LinkedIn profile says she joined HKEx in 2014, the year it bought the LME. She previously spent seven years at NYSE Euronext.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Joseph Radford)