Bill Gates appointed Zhang Yaqin as Microsoft's global vice president

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 09, 2004

Bill Gates appointed Zhang Yaqin as Microsoft's global vice president

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Microsoft declared on Jan. 7 that Dr. Zhang Yaqin, former managing director of Microsoft Research Asia was promoted to be Microsoft global vice president. Zhang, 38 years of age, is another Chinese American after Li Kaifu, who entered into the top management of the Microsoft.

Dr. Shen Xiangyang has filled in Zhang's vacancy due to his promotion as new managing director of Microsoft Research Asia. Zhang Hongjiang, former vice managing director of Microsoft Research Asia, will lead the Advanced Technology Center (ATC), a newly setup.

Zhang Yaqin joined Microsoft Research Asia (Microsoft Research China) in January 1999 as vice principal and chief scientist, and later as successor to Dr. Li Kaifu he became the principal. It was under his leadership that Microsoft Research China was upgraded to be Microsoft Research Asia, which was further developed to be one of the world's first-class institution for basic scientific research with 170 outstanding sci-tech staff working for it now. They have published over 700 theses on world famous publications. More than 70 technologies developed by the institution have been embedded in Microsoft's core products, including its next generation operating system Longhorn.

During Zhang's five-year tenure, Microsoft Research Asia has grown to be one of the world's four leading academic institutions. It has scored remarkable achievements in digital imaging and video technology and multi-media communication, etc. Zhang realized his dream of "building a world's first class institution". Microsoft senior vice president Rick Rashid had a high opinion of Zhang, saying that when leading his team to dedicate to the fast development of Microsoft Research Asia, Zhang showed his distinguished art of leadership and keen perceptiveness in technological field. He also believed that Zhang's position in the headquarters now with responsibility of Microsoft's global expansion on mobile communication and inbuilt systems would give a full play to his academic achievements in communication and experience in management.

An analysis says that Zhang's promotion to the top management in the headquarters is related to his perfect performance at Microsoft Asia Institution on the one hand while on the other it has something to do with the greatest potential of the Chinese mobile communication market in the world.

As learned Zhang, used to be called "teenager genius", has very good relationship with Chinese scientific circle, government and business world and even the media. He has not only outstanding track record on academic research, but also the experience as corporate senior executive. Information has it that Zhang was appointed by Bill Gates and Ballmer in person.

Profile of Dr. Zhang Yaqin

Dr. Zhang Yaqin was born in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi Province in 1966. He began to study in the Special Class for the Gifted Young at the University of Science and Technology of China after he passed its entrance examination. He was conferred doctor's degree for electrical engineering by the George Washington University at the age of 23 and ever studied at Harvard University, majoring in business for executives.

He is a world's expert in digital imaging and audio, multi-media communication and Internet.

In 1997, Zhang Yaqin, young as he was at the age of 31, became Fellow of IEEE, making him the youngest scientist winning this honor in the 100-year history of the organization. He holds 60 American patents, many of which are of international standards represented by ISO and ITU.

Zhang returned to China in 1999 and joined Microsoft Research China. His research there covered data compression, video, multi-media and Internet. At present, he is a visiting professor or an honorary professor for 20 universities around the world.

An article for China Youth Daily and translated by PD Online

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