Zhang Wenzhong

A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Please discuss further on the talk page. (May 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Zhang Wenzhong
张文中
Born	(1962-07-01) 1 July 1962 (age 59) China
Nationality	Chinese
Education	Chinese Academy of Sciences Nankai University
Known for	Founder of Wumart

Zhang Wenzhong (simplified Chinese: 张文中; traditional Chinese: 張文中; born July 1962) is a Chinese businessman and scholar. Zhang is the founder of Wumart, one of the earliest and biggest retailers in China and the largest supermarket chain in north China and regional giant in east China.

Education[]

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Nankai University; Master of Economics, Nankai University; Doctor of Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Post Doctorate Researcher, School of engineering, Stanford University.^[1]

Business career[]

Founded Wumart Stores, led the retail industry development in China[]

In December 1994, Zhang established China's first modern supermarket chain ‘Wumei’, also known as Wumart Stores, in Beijing. He applied advanced information and circulation technology to traditional business enterprises and led the development of China's retail industry. As the largest commercial retail enterprise in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province, and one of the largest private trade and circulation enterprises in the country, Wumart has been praised for being the "rice bag and vegetable basket" of Beijing.^[2] In 2003, Wumart became the first private retail business in China to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx).[1]

Prior to founding Wumart, Zhang worked in the Development Research Center of the State Council of China in the late 80s and early 90s.

Zhang has received honors and awards from the State Council (central government) of China, ACFIC(All China Federation of Industry and Commerce) and Municipal Government of Beijing. He was appointed and elected Member of the National Committee of the 10th CPPCC(Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference), Deputies to the 12th Beijing Municipal People's Congress, Member of the Standing Committee of the 9th ACFIC, Member of Standing Committee of the 10th National Youth League, Vice chairman of the Beijing Federation of industry and Commerce.

Zhang is also a visiting professor of Renmin University of China and Nankai University.

Promote retail revolutions with entrepreneurship and innovations[]

Since his exoneration, Zhang has devoted himself again to the development of China's retail market with a series of technology driven innovations.

In 2014, Wumei Holdings acquired B&Q China and helped turn around the retailer's heavy losses by applying the Omni-channel O+O new business model. Through this model, an online and offline store system built on internet and big data technology was implemented in all stores. B&Q China now operates under three different store formats, flagship stores, S2B and studio.

In 2015, joined by some young entrepreneurs and IDG Capital, Zhang launched a distributed e-commerce system through the mobile application Dmall, enabling traditional supermarkets to transform into omni-channel retailers and achieve online-offline integration. By collaborating with Dmall, established traditional retailers improved their operational efficiency and optimized customer experience. This was achieved through factors such as technology upgrades, a fast and convenient checkout system, instant delivery service, improved supply chain, assortment management, inventory and warehouse management, membership management and marketing. As of April 2018, Dmall has partnered with 3225 offline stores all over the country and has a total of 40 million registered users and over 7 million monthly active users.

Wumei Holdings today operates over 1000 stores nationwide in Northern, Eastern and North-Western China. [2]

Earlier this year, Wumart acquired 21 Lotte Mart stores in Beijing from South Korea's Lotte Shopping for around 248.5 billion won ($230.2 million). Many of Wumart's existing large stores have been renovated into a unified shopping experience including catering, hairdressing salons and community services.

"As an integral part of the future for Chinese and global retailers, digitization is being accelerated, with Dmall serving as a provider and implementer. By integrating online-offline retail systems using the internet, big data and artificial intelligence, retail digitization will help provide lower costs, greater efficiency, and a better customer experience." "For me, my mission is to continuously improve digital retailing, upgrade the unification of online-and-offline experiences, provide safe and fresh food for society and provide a better income for Wumart's employees," Zhang said on May 31, 2018.^[3]

Wrongful conviction in 2006, Overturned by the Supreme Court in 2018[]

In 2006, Zhang arrested based on unjust accusations. In 2008, the Hengshui Intermediate People's Court of Hebei province sentenced him to 18 years in prison on charges of misappropriation, bribery and fraud, and changed the verdict to 12 years for the final ruling in 2009. A total of RMB 52.1 million in fines was also ordered, which was a violation of personal and enterprise property rights.

While in prison, he refused to succumb to injustice and spent most of his time reading and researching. During that time he patented four of his own inventions, receiving one top prize and two first class scientific and technological progress awards at a provincial and ministerial level. He was granted early release.

In December 28, 2017, the Supreme People's Court announced a retrial for Zhang's case, followed by the work reports of the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate delivered at the plenary session of 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in March 2018, that ruled his case as a wrongful conviction that is to be corrected to fully implement the property rights protection.^[4][5]

On May 31, 2018, his case was turned over by the Supreme Court of China. In its statement, the Supreme People's Court - after a final retrial - made the ruling that the original sentence was based on insufficient evidence and the laws applied were improper, quashing a guilty verdict for which he received an 18-year jail term ten years ago.^[6][7][3]

Timeline of Zhang's case[]

· Nov 12, 2006: Zhang Wenzhong investigated for graft by government authorities. Zhang later resigned from Wumei.

· Dec 25, 2007: Prosecutors in Hengshui, Hebei province, formally charged Zhang with fraud, embezzlement and bribery.

· Oct 9, 2008: The Hengshui Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhang to 18 years in prison and impose a fine of 500,000 yuan ($78,038). Zhang appealed.

· March 30, 2009: The Hebei High People's Court made a final ruling on the appeal. Zhang sentenced to 12 years in prison for the three crimes, still with a fine of 500,000 yuan.

· Feb 6, 2013: Zhang was released from prison. Zhang twice received commutations.

· December 2015: The court in Hebei rejected Zhang's appeal.

· October 2016: Zhang appealed to the Supreme People's Court.

· Dec 27, 2017: The Supreme People's Court agreed to retry Zhang's case.

· Feb 12, 2018 The top court hears the case publicly.

· May 31: Zhang's is cleared about 10 years after being pronounced guilty by the first court^[8]

Address at the annual summit of China Entrepreneur Forum (CEF)[]

On February 28, he addressed the annual summit of China Entrepreneur Forum with the title Time Tries Devotion, Hearts Warm the World.His address won popular support nationwide. Part of the address was quoted in the media. "Although justice arrives late, shall it never be absent. Belated justice is still extremely precious." "I do not regret for maintaining my integrity, not compromising with my dignity and not breaching my own morality baseline. " "Love shines in the world, Justice cherished in hearts, Kinship and friendship deep as ocean.""Spring blooms in heart, Life enlightens with sunshine".^[9]

References[]