Zhengdong Zhu is co-founder, chairman of the board, and chief executive officer of China Distance Education Holdings Limited (“CDEL”) and is responsible for overall management operations and strategic decisions. He founded CDEL in 2000, and is the pioneer of China’s distance education industry. CDEL’s mission is to be the premier life-long, comprehensive online education partner for working professionals and others in China, and to spearhead the development of distance education across China. The company’s annual enrollment is over 3 million, covering the areas of accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction, legal and other professions.
Mr Zhu received a bachelor's degree in radio engineering in 1989 from Southeast University, China. In 2011, he received an EMBA degree from Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management.
Baohong Yin is co-founder, director and deputy chairman of our company. From 1989 to 2004, Ms. Yin worked as engineer, vice director of laboratory, senior engineer, director of laboratory and vice-general engineer at Beijing Uni-Construction Dadi Concrete Building Components Co., Ltd (previously known as Beijing Residential Construction Component Manufacturer). Ms. Yin graduated in 1989 from the Civil Engineering Department of Southeast University in China with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She was also conferred the qualification as a senior engineer by the Beijing Advanced Specialized Technology Committee in 1999. Ms. Yin received her EMBA degree from Beijing University in 2010. Ms. Yin and Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, our chairman and chief executive officer, are wife and husband.
Feijia Ji is senior executive vice president of our company. From 1996 to 2000, Mr. Ji worked as a marketing manager at the Beijing Huake Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. From 1995 to 1996, Mr. Ji worked as a business manager at Huayou Beijing Service Corporation. Mr. Ji graduated from Beijing Xicheng Workers University in 1996. Mr. Ji received his EMBA degree from Tsinghua University in 2016.
Xiaoshu Chen is an independent director of our company, and currently a professor and an assistant director at the Department of Radio Engineering of SISE Southeast University in China. From 1985 to 2001, Professor Chen worked as an assistant lecturer, lecturer and assistant professor at the same department. Professor Chen has almost 21 years of experience in communication systems and network research. He graduated in 1985 from the Department of Radio Engineering of the Nanjing Institute of Technology in China with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He obtained his master’s degree in engineering in 1990 from the same university.
Annabelle Yu Long is an independent director of our company. Ms. Long currently serves as a member of Bertelsmann Group Management Committee, the Chief Executive Officer of Bertelsmann China Corporate Center and the Founding and Managing Partner of Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI). Ms. Long joined Bertelsmann in New York in 2005 and worked as a Principal at Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments prior to founding BAI. Before joining Bertelsmann, Ms. Long started her career as a TV anchor and became a producer with a variety of highly rated, award-winning television and radio programs in China. Ms. Long is an active member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders Advisory Council and is also a member of its Global Agenda Council on the Future of Media, Entertainment & Information. In addition, she is a member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council. Ms. Long sits on the board of Tapestry Inc. (NYSE: TPR, its portfolio includes Coach, Stuart Weitzman and Kate Spade), BitAuto (NYSE: BITA) and iClick (NASDAQ:ICLK).
Liankui Hu is an independent director of our company. He had served as chairman on the boards of directors of the following technology companies since 1998 to 2016, Beijing Teamsun Technology Co., Ltd., and Beijing Huasun Mingtian Technology Co. Ltd. From 1987 to 1998, Mr. Hu had worked for the Sixth Electronics Institute of the Ministry of Information Industry as deputy president, for Beijing Shenyan System Co., Ltd. as general manager, and for Beijing Huasun Computer Co., Ltd. as general manager. He was a lecturer in School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University in China from 1985 to 1987. Mr. Hu received his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Radio Engineering Department of Tsinghua University in 1982, and his master’s degree from School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University in 1985.
Carol Yu is an independent director of our company. Ms. Yu has served as independent director of the Company since 2008. Ms. Yu has been the chief executive officer of Virtues Holding Limited since February 2017. Between March 2004 and July 2016, Ms. Yu was the president and chief financial officer of Sohu.com Inc., whose shares are listed on the NASDAQ. Ms. Yu received her professional diploma in accountancy from the Hong Kong Polytechnic (now the Hong Kong Polytechnic University) in June 1985.