Disclosed herein is Candida parapsilosis CGMCC 9630, the carbonyl reductase expressed by said strain and the encoding gene and amino acid sequence thereof, the recombinant expression vector and recombinant expression transformant containing said gene sequence, and use of whole cells of Candida parapsilosis, carbonyl reductase or corresponding recombinant transformant thereof as catalyst in catalyzing asymmetric reduction of prochiral carbonyl compounds, particularly reduction of 6-carbonyl-8-halogenocaprylate to prepare the synthetic precursor of (R)-α-lipoic acid, (R)-6-hydroxy-8-halogenocaprylate. In comparison to other methods of asymmetric reduction for preparing (R)-6-hydroxy-8-halogenocaprylate, the disclosure has advantages of high substrate concentration, mild reaction conditions, environmental friendship, high yield, and high optical purity of the product, and thus has good prospect in industrial production of (R)-α-α-lipoic acid.