Charles Zhang

Charles Zhang or Zhang Chaoyang (born October 31, 1964) is a Chinese businessman and founder of Sohu Inc (Chinese: 搜狐), which was listed on NASDAQ in 2000. Zhang was ranked 37th on Forbes China’s 100 Richest list in 2000 and 20th in 2003.

Early life and education Zhang was born in Xi'an, China. His parents were residential physicians at a small arsenal near Xi'an. His ancestors were from Henan. Zhang had been interested in science from a very young age. He studied at the Xi'an Qinghua middle school (西安庆华中学) and transferred to the Xi'an Middle School of Shaanxi Province.

Zhang was admitted to study physics at Tsinghua University in Beijing and graduated in 1986. He then received a full CUSPEA scholarship to attend graduate school at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. In 1993, Zhang graduated from MIT with a PhD in experimental physics. He then went on to serve as MIT's liaison officer for China.

While in the United States, Zhang developed an interest in pop culture and was an avid reader of Vanity Fair magazine. For a period, he aspired to a career in Hollywood and auditioned for roles after graduating from MIT.

Career After 7 years at MIT, Zhang joined Internet Securities Inc. (ISI) in November 1995 before returning to Beijing to establish the ISI China operation. While at ISI, Zhang envisioned an Internet search engine company. In 1996 with the support of MIT Media Lab director Nicholas Negroponte and MIT Sloan School of Management professor Edward B. Roberts, as well as venture capital, Zhang founded Internet Technologies China (ITC 爱特信公司), the first VC-funded Internet company in China. During the dot-com crash in the early 2000s, Sohu’s share price fell below US$1. Amid the downturn, several board members and investors sought to replace Zhang; however, he remained in his position. Zhang later attributed his ability to retain leadership in part to his non-confrontational management style.

In 2002, Sohu became the first profitable internet company in China. After Sohu established itself as one of the country’s leading internet firms, Zhang gradually withdrew from Sohu’s day-to-day management in the latter half of the 2000s and became a fixture in social and entertainment circles.

Personal life Zhang has expressed the hope of living to the age of 150. He has stated that he believes stress plays a significant role in the aging process, and that practices such as yoga and an understanding of Buddhism can help reduce stress and promote longevity. Zhang also enjoys mountaineering.