Taobao President Demoted Over Suspected Ties to Social Media Influencer

After an investigation conducted by a special investigation team established by the Integrity Department, Alibaba Group has made a decision to demote Fan Jiang, the current president of Taobao and Tmall. The investigation team conducted a comprehensive internal and external investigation into allegations of improper behavior on part of the executive.

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The discipline measures include revoking Fan Jiang’s partner status at the company, demotion from senior vice president to vice president, as well as the cancellation of all rewards from the previous fiscal year.

The investigation into Jiang’s professional conduct began after his wife started a social media frenzy by taking on a prominent influencer Zhang Dayi on Weibo and telling her not to “mess with” her husband.

Alibaba Group conducted an inquiry into Jiang’s relationship with the celebrity and her company Ruhnn holdings, to determine if it had an influence on his business decisions as head of Taobao. The initial investigation found no such influence. However, disciplinary measures were taken regardless, as Jiang’s actions triggered a serious public opinion crisis and had an impact on Alibaba Group’s reputation.