Zhang Yong (restaurateur)

Zhang Yong (Chinese: 张勇; pinyin: Zhāng Yǒng; born 1969/1970) is a Singaporean Chinese billionaire who is the founder of the Haidilao International Holding Ltd restaurant group, best known for its Hai Di Lao chain of hot pot restaurants. At the end of 2018, Haidilao Hot Pot had 466 direct-operated stores in operation in more than a hundred cities. Zhang also holds majority stake in Haidilao Catering< Hai Di Lao International Holding and Yihai International.[3]

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Zhang.
Zhang Yong
Born1969/1970 (age 50–51)[1]
Jianyang, Sichuan, China
NationalityChinese
CitizenshipSingaporean
OccupationRestaurateur
Net worth$15.1 billion (September 2019)[2]
TitleFounder and CEO, Haidilao International Holding Ltd
Spouse(s)Shu Ping
Children1 son

Biography

Zhang Yong was born and grew up in Jianyang, Sichuan, China.[4][1] He started work as a welder, and did not eat in a restaurant until he was 19.[5]

In 1994, he quit his job in a tractor factory and opened a restaurant with 4 tables to seat customers, [6] the first Hai Di Lao, which was cofounded by the couples Zhang Yong and wife Shu Ping, and Shi Yonghong and wife Li Haiyan.[7]

The restaurant quickly became the largest hotpot restaurant in town. A second restaurant, Lou Wai Lou, opened in 1998. In 2010, the company opened its own training school of restaurant management.[7][8]

In 2013, Hai Di Lao opened for the first time in the US, in Los Angeles.[6]

Published work
  • Learn from Hai Di Lao, 2011[1]

Wealth

As of September 2019, Forbes estimated his net worth at $15.1 billion, making him China's richest restaurateur.[2] He ranked #224 on Forbes' 2019 Billionaires list, 3rd richest man in Singapore.[9]

Personal life

Zhang is married to Shu Ping, a co-founder and non-executive director of Sichuan Haidilao Catering, and they live in Singapore.[10][2] They are naturalised Singaporean citizens, and have a son.[11][12]

References
  1. Burkitt, Laurie (24 May 2013). "Star Entrepreneur's Business Advice: Don't Listen to Me". wsj.com. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  2. "Forbes profile: Zhang Yong". Forbes. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. Salim, Zafirah (2019-03-27). "How Haidilao Founder Hit Jackpot With His US$21B Hotpot Chain - Now S'pore's Third Richest". Vulcan Post. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  4. Jr, Tom Huddleston (October 9, 2018). "How one man went from welding in a tractor factory to building a multi-billion dollar Chinese hotpot business". CNBC.
  5. Dexter Roberts (7 August 2017). "China's Spicy Hotpot Billionaire Is Ready to Take on the World". Bloomberg. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  6. Tom Huddleston Jr. (9 October 2018). "How one man went from welding in a tractor factory to building a multi-billion dollar Chinese hotpot business". Cnbc.com. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  7. Zafirah Salim (27 March 2019). "How Haidilao Founder Hit Jackpot With His US$21B Hotpot Chain - Now S'pore's Third Richest". Vulcanpost.com. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  8. Li Xiang, Yu Nan (26 May 2011). "Interview with Zhang Yong: The Secret of Haidilao's Success". Eeo.com.cn. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  9. Zafira Salim (6 March 2019). "The Real Crazy Rich Asians: 22 S'pore Individuals Who Made It To Forbes' 2019 Billionaires List". Vulcanpost.com. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  10. "Hotpot billionaire Zhang Yong ousts Far East's Ng brothers to top Forbes list of Singapore's richest". The Jakarta Post. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  11. Lay, Belmont (29 August 2019). "Haidilao founder Zhang Yong richest man in S'pore with S$19.2 billion net worth". Mothership. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  12. Lay, Belmont (16 April 2019). "Haidilao naturalised S'porean founders increase wealth by S$7.6 billion in 3 months". Mothership. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
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