InvestorRoom - Board of Directors

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Board of Directors

  • Alex S. Xu

    Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer

    Mr. Alex S. Xu is our founder and has served as our chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer since 2004. Mr. Xu is the founder of American Pacific Homes, Inc., a leading home builder in California and transformed now to a hotel franchisor and operator in the Western US, and has served as its chairman since 1997. He also has served as a managing director of Foothill Medical Centers since 1997. Prior to founding our company, Mr. Xu served as the chief operating officer of U.S. Uni-President Investment and Development from 1995 to 1997. From 1994 to 1996, Mr. Xu served as the director of finance with Santa Anita Realty Enterprises, Inc. From 1990 to 1994, Mr. Xu worked as the accounting and corporate data service manager for Broadway Stores Inc. Mr. Xu received a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Beijing Institute of Technology in 1984 and two master’s degrees in computer engineering and in applied mathematics from the University of Southern California in 1990.

  • Gregory James Karns

    Director and General Counsel

    Mr. Gregory James Karns has served as a director and general counsel of our company since 2005. Mr. Karns is a partner with the U.S. law firm of Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, where he has worked since 1989. From 1985 to 1989, Mr. Karns worked as an associate with the law firm of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, and Mr. Karns began his legal career in 1983 as an associate with the law firm of Kindel & Anderson. Mr. Karns received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California in 1980, and his juris doctor degree from Loyola Law School in 1983.

  • Bingwu Xie

    Independent Director

    Mr. Bingwu Xie has served as an independent director of our company since 2011. Mr. Xie is the founder and owner and has served as a director of Global Standard Investment Management Co., Ltd. since 2009 and as a director of ValueAlert Co, Ltd. since 2005. From 2014 to 2016, Mr. Xie served as a partner of Gopher Asset Management Limited and as the deputy chief investment officer of Noah Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited. From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Xie served as a managing director in the mergers and acquisitions department of ZEG Capital Management Co., Ltd. with Zhongzhi Enterprise Group, and as corporate vice president in charge of the real estate finance division of Zhongrong International Trust Co., Limited. From 2000 to 2009, Mr. Xie held various positions with Lehman Brothers in Japan and Hong Kong as a vice president and senior vice president of the investment management division, as a vice president in the fixed income division, and served as China country head of the real estate private equity division since December 2006. Mr. Xie received a bachelor’s degree in English for science and technology from Harbin Institute of Technology in 1993 and a master’s degree in international development (economics) from the International University of Japan in 1998.

  • Dong Li

    Independent Director

    Mr. Dong Li has served as an independent director of our company since March 2018. Mr. Li has served as the chief financial officer of TH International Limited (Nasdaq, ticker symbol: THCH), the parent company of the exclusive master franchisees of Tim Hortons coffee shops and Popeyes restaurants in China since September 2021. Mr. Li also served as an independent director of Boqii Holding Ltd (China’s leading pet-focused platform listed on the NYSE, ticker symbol: BQ) since September 2020, as an independent non-executive director of Helens International Holdings Company Limited (China’s largest bar chain network listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ticker symbol: 09869) since August 2021, as an independent non-executive director of Logory Logistics Technology Co., Ltd (a leading end-to-end digital freight transportation services provider in China listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ticker symbol: 02482) since March 2023 and as an independent non-executive director of ZJLD Group Inc (a leading baijiu company in China devoted to offering premium baijiu products featuring sauce aroma profile and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ticker symbol: 06979) since April 2023. Prior to joining TH International Limited, Mr. Li served as the chief financial officer for several companies, including Ximalaya Inc., one of China’s largest online audio platforms from September 2019 to September 2021; OneSmart International Education Group Limited, a diversified premium K 12 education company in China listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: ONE) from July 2017 to June 2019; Pegasus Media Group Limited, a company focuses on movie and TV show production, investment, licensing, marketing and derivatives from April 2016 to April 2017; and Ecovacs Robotics Holdings Limited, a consumer robotics company in China listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: 603486) from March 2015 to February 2016. From September 2008 to February 2015, Mr. Li worked as an associate and later vice president in investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and ICBC International in Hong Kong. Prior to that, Mr. Li worked in KPMG’s auditing practice group from August 1999 to April 2006 in its Beijing and Silicon Valley offices, respectively. Mr. Li received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University in July 1999, as well as a master’s degree in business administration in finance from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in June 2008. Mr. Li is a member of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada.

  • Ms. Yanjie (Catherine) Zhu

    Independent Director

    Ms. Yanjie (Catherine) Zhu has served as an independent director of our company since December 2021. Ms. Zhu has served as the finance director of Baozun Inc. (Nasdaq: BZUN and HKEX: 9991) (“Baozun”) since November 2020. Prior to joining Baozun, she served as the finance director for Cue & Co., Group Ltd. and then IBR between April 2018 and October 2020. From September 2016 to February 2018, Ms. Zhu worked as a finance controller with Xperience Communications (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Between March 2013 and September 2016, she worked as a finance manager first with Lend Lease Project Management & Construction (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and then with Porsche Centre Shanghai Waigaoqiao Limited. Prior to that, Ms. Zhu worked as an audit manager with KPMG in its Shanghai office from August 2005 to February 2013. Ms. Zhu received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Shanghai International Studies University in July 2005. Ms. Zhu is a member of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Institute of Internal Auditors.