According to a report on Monday, the son of Haidilao founder and chairman Zhang Yong has completed his overseas studies and joined the company at the age of 28.

The younger Zhang, known internally as "Xiao Zhang" in contrast to his father's nickname "Brother Zhang," has yet to receive a formal executive title. However, he has already been involved in managing several business lines, including decisions behind some store adjustments in the first half of the year.

Since Zhang Yong returned to the front lines of management, his son has begun pushing for personnel changes and adjustments to store management models despite his short tenure. These include discontinuing the pet-themed store concept and relaxing strict grooming standards for employees, such as previous limitations on hairstyles.

As of the time of reporting, Haidilao had not yet responded to requests for comment. During a 2018 interview, Zhang Yong noted that while communication between him and his son has been limited, he particularly praised his son's kindness. Regarding succession planning, he admitted that handing over decision-making authority for a company with tens of thousands of employees to someone so young would be irresponsible.

According to Singaporean local media reports, Zhang Yong, his wife, and their son are all citizens of Singapore. In January 2021, reports surfaced that Zhang Yong intended to purchase an adjacent bungalow in his son's name, with his son reportedly securing an option to buy the property for 42 million yuan at that time.