Zhang Yong

About Zhang Yong

Restaurateur Zhang Yong is chairman of Sichuan hotpot chain Haidilao, which went public in September 2018.

Haidilao has nearly 1,500 restaurants, mostly in China but also in the U.S., Japan, South Korea and Singapore. It spun off its overseas business Super Hi and listed it in Hong Kong in 2022.

Haidilao is renowned for its spicy dishes and attentive customer service, including offering free manicures for waiting customers.

Having never finished high school, the entrepreneur says he didn't even know how to prepare the typical Sichuan hotpot when he started.

Three friends, including one who became his wife, helped with seed money, but he ran the place. In March 2022, he stepped down as CEO to focus on long-term strategies.