Alibaba appoints new president for Fliggy travel unit - ChinaTravelNews-YINGMI audio guide system

ChinaTravelNews learned that Fliggy, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba's travel brand, has undertaken a series of major restructuring in senior management, including the appoint of Fliggy's new president.

Ms. Angel Zhao (nickname "Zhixue") is no longer acting as president of Fliggy, but she will still serve as president of Alibaba Global Business Group and senior vice president of Alibaba Group.

Mr. Zhuoran Zhuang (nickname "Nantian"), vice president of Alibaba Group, is adding the responsibility as the new president of Fliggy. Mr. Zhuang previously served as CTO of Alibaba's cultural and recreational unit and COO of the Youku video business. He joined Alibaba in 2009. 

Mr. Chi Fan (nickname "Chengyaojin"), vice president of Alibaba Group, is no longer head of Fliggy's hospitality and domestic business unit but will be working under Alibaba's cultural and recreational unit.

Travel business proves a tricky undertaking for e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba. The Fliggy brand has had three presidents in the past four years. That said, the Chinese e-commerce giant does have a corporate value of "embracing changes". 

Alibaba's travel business was previously branded as Alitrip, but the company changed its name to Fliggy in October 2016. Mr. Shaohua Li, the Fliggy president at the time, said the company has more than 200 million registered users and 10 million daily visitors. Mr. Li said Fliggy will focus on providing outbound travel experience and internet-based innovation. 

Mr. Shaohua Li

In March 2018, Mr. Li was rearranged to work at Alibaba's corporate headquarters, due to "normal business adjustment", according to the company's statement. Ms. Zhao was then appointed as president of Fliggy in replacement of Mr. Li. 

Ms. Angel Zhao

In an exclusive interview with ChinaTravelNews back in March last year, Ms. Zhao said that as Alibaba expands globally, Fliggy will join the company's domestic and overseas partners in providing better services on not just the consumer side but also the corporate side. "Leveraging the power of the Alibaba ecosystem presents Fliggy a great opportunity," she said.

In line with Alibaba’s goal to “make it easy to do business anywhere” in the world, Ms. Zhao said Fliggy aims to “make it easy to do travel business anywhere” in the digital era.