Born in Shanghai in May 1955, Zhao Xiaolei is a Doctor of Economics and a professor and doctoral advisor at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, where he currently holds the position of Director of the Free-Trade Zone Research Institute/Shanghai Development Research Institute. He has also received the Sun Yefang Economic Science Award and holds the position of Vice President at the Chinese Society for the History of Economic Thought. He specializes in theoretical economics, macroeconomics, urban economic planning, and urban agglomeration economics.