Zhang Yiming: The billionaire tech visionary behind TikTok

Although he is in the upper echelons of the Beijing billionaires’ club, Zhang described himself in his frank leaving message as ‘not very social, preferring solitary activities like being online, reading, listening to music’. — AFP

BEIJING: Armed with pioneering AI and a sharp nose for youth trends, Zhang Yiming revolutionised Internet video with popular app TikTok and minted himself a fortune.

But at just 38 he has also found that having a seat at the top table of China’s rambunctious tech scene carries a heavy political and managerial price.