Wang Ziru was exposed to have resigned from Gree. He once received investment from Lei Jun, debated with Luo Yonghao, and did not look at Gree's salary slip
2024-08-17
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Wang Ziru is once again at the center of controversy, this time because of his suspected resignation from Gree Electric Appliances (000651.SZ).
The Red Star Capital Bureau noted that Wang Ziru was once a first-generation internet celebrity active on Youku. He had received investment from Lei Jun and had debated with Luo Yonghao in a live broadcast, but his personal career has never been smooth.
Data and pictures from Visual China
After being "restricted from height", he is suspected of resigning from Gree Electric Appliances
In the past week, Wang Ziru has been at the center of controversy.
First, on August 9, the Nanshan District People's Court of Shenzhen issued a consumption restriction order to Wang Ziru. Because Shanghai Shuhui Venture Capital Center (Limited Partnership) (hereinafter referred to as "Shuhui Venture Capital") applied for execution of a related dispute case, the court took consumption restriction measures against Wang Ziru.
Public information shows that before joining Gree Electric Appliances, Wang Ziru was the founder and CEO of ZEALER, which aims to build a technology and digital interest community, and Shuhui Venture Capital is one of the shareholders of ZEALER's main company.
However, the consumption restriction order did not affect Wang Ziru's work schedule in the short term.
According to media reports, on August 12, Wang Ziru, as the leader of Gree Electric Appliances headquarters and the person in charge of the digital channel reform project, interpreted Gree's new marketing model at the 2025 Cold Year Gree Electric Appliances (Guangzhou) New Marketing Strategy Summit; on August 14, Wang Ziru also attended the Gree New Marketing Model Promotion and Annual Opening Conference in East Guangdong.
On August 16, news circulated online that Wang Ziru had resigned from Gree Electric Appliances.
The Red Star Capital Bureau tried to verify this with Gree Electric Appliances, but as of press time, no valid information has been obtained.
According to Jiemian News, several Gree employees confirmed that Wang Ziru's corresponding email address could not be found in Gree's intranet system on the afternoon of August 16. If nothing unexpected happens, it can be basically confirmed that he has left the company.
The Red Star Capital Bureau noted that the channel reform that Wang Ziru is in charge of is a point that Dong Mingzhu, the chairman and president of Gree Electric Appliances, has attached great importance to in recent years.
As early as around 2020, Gree Electric Appliances began channel reform of the "new retail model". Not only did Dong Mingzhu herself start live streaming to sell goods on multiple platforms, but consumers and dealers could also place orders through the online channel - "Dong Mingzhu's Store".
This move has in disguise reduced the levels of Gree Electric's dealer system, but it has also had a huge impact on some agents.
At the event on August 12, Wang Ziru also publicly stated that Gree Electric will enhance channel order through digital tools, integrate online and offline channels, find new traffic ports and growth curves, re-empower dealers, and help dealers make a smooth transition in the most gentle way.
It is still unknown whether the dealers can smoothly transition through their difficulties, but Wang Ziru himself may be stuck at this stage.
Lost in a debate with Luo Yonghao
Wang Ziru was once a big V with great influence. He was active on Youku and reviewed various digital products.
Public information shows that in 2012, Wang Ziru founded the main company of ZEALER, which mainly operates a technology information website focusing on electronic product reviews and Q&A, and later expanded into mobile phone repair business, mobile device hardware laboratories, etc.
The Red Star Capital Bureau noticed through Tianyancha that Beijing Shunwei Venture Capital Co., Ltd., owned by Lei Jun, was once one of the shareholders of ZEALER's main company, but this also brought doubts to Wang Ziru and ZEALER: Can they evaluate digital products fairly?
According to media reports, in 2014, Luo Yonghao, then CEO of Smartisan Technology, believed that Wang Ziru's review of the Smartisan phone was unfair and launched a public debate with him, which was broadcast live on Youku. Regarding ZEALER's business model, Luo Yonghao once commented, "If you are being kept by someone, don't talk about independent personality."
Soon after the debate, Wang Ziru publicly apologized, and ZEALER's credibility was damaged and gradually went downhill. Until August 2021, Tianyancha APP showed that Wang Ziru withdrew from the ranks of shareholders of ZEALER's main company and no longer served as general manager.
At about the same time, in July 2021, Gree Electric's CEO Wang Ziru officially joined Gree as the leader of the Cultural Training and Communication Center, and was under the Gree President's Office.
Afterwards, Wang Ziru said in an interview with the media that "I don't look at the salary slip" and "I just watch how she holds meetings. I listen to what she says and does every day, and I think it is a very happy thing." This also caused a lot of controversy, and he was called a "sycophant" by netizens.
Looking back at Wang Ziru's two work experiences, when he was at ZEALER, netizens thought that his evaluations of some digital brands were biased. When he moved to Gree Electric Appliances, he was considered to be fawning on those in power. In the end, he was left with only a consumption restriction order.
Where will his next stop be?
Red Star News reporter Yang Peiwen
Editor: Yang Cheng
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