ByteDance, the owner of the wildly popular social networking video app TikTok, has appointed two executives to run its China operations, leaving Chief Executive Zhang Yiming to focus on expansion and growth in the US and other international markets.
Founder Zhang Yiming will continue to serve as global Chief Executive Officer of the Chinese company. He will focus on building up the company’s management team around the world and long-term strategies, according to the company.
Zhang Nan, the current Chief Executive of Douyin, which is the Chinese domestic version of TikTok, will take on a newly created role of Chief Executive Officer of the ByteDance’s China operations. He will oversee operations and management of products including Douyin and the company’s news app Toutiao.
Zhang Lidong, who is currently a Senior Vice President, will take over as chairman of the China business. He will manage non-product operations, including strategy, partnerships and public relations.
The move comes as TikTok faces regulatory issues in the US, while at the same time experiencing surging growth in the region. The company has been taking steps to distance itself publicly from Beijing, as there are rising concerns that it censors content on its platforms to appease the Chinese Government.
