Dong Mingzhu
董明珠
Dong Mingzhu
BornAugust 1954 (age 69)
Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
NationalityChinese
OccupationChairwoman of Gree Electric
TitleChairman of the board of Gree Electric
TermMay 2012–present
PredecessorZhu Jianghong
Children1 son [1]

Dong Mingzhu (Chinese: 董明珠; pinyin: Dǒng Míngzhū; born August 1954) is a Chinese businesswoman who serves as Chairwoman of Gree Electric.[1]

Early life

Dong Mingzhu was born the youngest of seven children in a working-class family in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province, in August 1954.[2] When she was a child, she wanted to be a soldier, doctor or teacher.[3] Dong graduated from a specialized institute in Wuhu, Anhui in 1975, with a degree in Statistics. After graduation, Dong got an administrative job at local government chemistry laboratory in Nanjing for 15 years.[3][4]

Career

In 1990, at age 36, recently widowed Dong left her three-year-old son to his grandmother and quit her job at the government research facility in order to move to the more economically developed Shenzhen in Guangdong province and to find a new job, but moved to Zhuhai soon.[5]

Joining Haley (Gree Electric's predecessor) as a salesperson, she made her mark from the start, recovering massive debts in a little over one month. By 1994, Dong was made head of sales, where she upgraded sales process. By the time Gree Electric went public in 1996, Dong was deputy president, and later company president in 2001.[6] In 2012, she gained the position of Gree Electric's chairwoman as well. She was also the chairwoman of Gree Electric's parent company Gree Group until November 2016.

During her tenure, Dong developed Gree Electric into the world's largest household air conditioning unit maker, and China's largest household appliance maker (generating a record breaking 140 billion Yuan revenue in 2014). Gree Electric's sales shifted from traditional to online, contributing significantly to the company's 2014 record breaking revenue.[7] Gree Electric's company stock has risen 2300% during her stay.[8] Under her leadership, Gree Electric developed solar energy, China's smartphone market, robotic technology, recycled treatment centers nationwide, and acquired electric car maker Yinlong in March 2016.[6][8][9]

In January 2019, she was reelected chairwoman of Gree Electric.[10] 2 months later, she applied a cut on value-added taxes to reach more competitive prices and aim for an aggressive international development despite the US-China trade war going on.[11]

Dong has displayed a strong nationalistic streak over the year, and has been a member of the 10th, 11th, and 12th National People's Congress.[6] She is a member of the China Democratic National Construction Association, as well as a member of the 10th Executive Committee of All-china Women's Federation.[3] Dong currently holds senior positions in a dozen industry, women's and charity organizations, and has taught university business classes.[6]

In 2021, Fortune the most influential women in the world ranked seventh.[12]

Prizes

  • 2015: 4th most powerful woman in Asia-Pacific by Fortune magazine[8]
  • 2014,2015: Most Influential Chinese Businesswomen by Fortune magazine[7]
  • 2013: "Woman in the Mix" for business by Forbes Asia[13]
  • 2006: "Magnificent 10" economic leaders in China[6]

Personal life

Dong married soon after graduating from university, but was widowed when her son turned two-year-old.[6] Her husband died of illness in 1984.[14] Her son nicknamed "Dongdong" (东东).[14] She never remarried.[3] The New York Times called her "one of the toughest businesswomen in China."[3]

In 2018, law enforcement in Ningbo mistakenly accused Dong of jaywalking because her face was featured in an advertisement on the side of a bus and inaccurately flagged by a facial recognition system.[15]

Published work

References

  1. 1 2 "Dong Mingzhu". Forbes. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  2. ↑ Han Xiao (2017), p. 1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Tatlow, Didi Kristen. "Setting the Pace With Toughness". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Ren, Daniel (23 December 2014). "Succeeding by Degrees". South China Morning Post. South China Morning Post. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  5. ↑ Han Xiao (2017), p. 12.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Dong Mingzhu: A Powerful Self-made Chinese Businesswoman". Brand International. Brand International. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  7. 1 2 Borromeo, EL (21 November 2015). "Gree's Dong Mingzhu Top's Fortune's Most Influential Businesswomen in China". Yibada. Yibada. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "MPW Asia-Pacific 2015". Fortune. Fortune. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  9. ↑ Scott, Mary E. (6 April 2016). "Asia Power Women 2016". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  10. ↑ Tan Xinyu (17 January 2019). "Dong Mingzhu reelected as Gree head". China Daily. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  11. ↑ Cissy Zhou (15 March 2019). "China's home appliance queen Dong Mingzhu backs ambitious Gree Electric target, plays down trade war". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  12. ↑ "Dong Mingzhu | 2021 Most Powerful Women International". Fortune. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  13. ↑ "Asia's Women In The Mix, 2013: The Year's Top 50 for Achievement In Business". Forbes. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  14. 1 2 Han Xiao (2017), p. 11.
  15. ↑ Shen, Xinmei (2018-11-22). "Facial recognition camera catches top businesswoman "jaywalking" because her face was on a bus". South China Morning Post.
  16. ↑ "Dong Mingzhu". Asia's 50 Power Businesswomen. Forbes. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Dong Mingzhu". Executives in Technology. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  18. ↑ Coonan, Clifford. "The house that Sister Dong built". Business. The National (Abu Dhabi). Retrieved 5 March 2013.

Bibliography

  • Han Xiao (2017). 营销女皇的倔强人生：董明珠传 [Biography of Dong Mingzhu] (in Chinese). Wuhan, Hubei: Huazhong University of science and Technology Press. ISBN 978-7-5680-2310-8.
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