S hu Ping is a Singaporean billionaire and one of the four co-founders of Haidilao International Holding, the globally recognized chain of Sichuan hot pot restaurants. Originally from China, she, along with her husband Zhang Yong and another couple, started the business in 1994 with a single, small restaurant in Jianyang, Sichuan province. Lacking experience in the culinary world, the founders built their brand on an almost fanatical dedication to customer service, a strategy that would become their legendary trademark.
As the company's Chief Operating Officer, Shu Ping has been deeply involved in the management and operational side of the business, helping to oversee its vast expansion from a local eatery into a worldwide phenomenon with thousands of locations. She has been instrumental in implementing the service-oriented culture that defines the Haidilao experience, which includes offering complimentary services like manicures and snacks for waiting customers. The company's hugely successful IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2018 transformed the fortunes of all four co-founders. Shu Ping, who now holds Singaporean citizenship along with her husband, serves as a non-executive director of the company.
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