Beike Founder Zuo Hui Passes Due to Unknown Illness

KE Holdings Inc., owner of Beike, a leading integrated online and offline platform for housing transactions and services, announced that Zuo Hui, the founder and chairman of the board of directors of the company, passed away on May 20, 2021 due to something described by the company’s press team as “an unexpected worsening of illness.” The exact illness was not specified.

Zuo Hui launched Beijing Lianjia Real Estate Brokerage in 2001 in China’s relatively young property market. The company’s offshoot Ziroom, which provides home rental and property management services, had its start in 2011. Zuo incorporated KE and launched Beike in 2018. Zuo Hui led Beike to market leadership and pioneered the creation of ACN. He continuously invested in talents and technologies, propelling the evolvement of the housing transaction and service industry.

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“We are very saddened by the passing of Mr. Zuo and extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Mr. Zuo was our visionary founder and leader, and a leading figure in China’s housing transactions and services industry. He made invaluable contributions to Beike, Lianjia and the industry over the past 20 years. With our unwaveringly strong conviction of doing the right thing for long term success, we will move forward to execute our strategy and growth initiatives, pursue our mission of “admirable service, joyful living,” and continue to create value for the industry. Our commitment to clients, employees, shareholders and business partners remains as strong as ever, and we will continue to do the right thing even if it’s difficult,” said Peng Yongdong, the company’s CEO and executive director.

The board of directors of Beike announced that it will make appropriate arrangements for corporate governance and related matters and make an announcement in due course within two weeks.