Fresh from a U.S. IPO, the international arm of the Haidilao restaurant chain has a new boss to accelerate its global expansion, as competition heats up in the spicy hotpot business.
She may have a new job title, but she is a familiar face at Haidilao. June Yang, who famously started out as a waitress before working her way to the boardroom, has swapped her role as Haidilao CEO for the top job at the brand’s ambitious affiliate, Super Hi International Holding Ltd. (9658.HK; HDL.US).
The leadership shuffle comes after Super Hi, which made its Nasdaq debut in May, slipped into the red in the first quarter, squeezed by foreign exchange losses and higher operating costs.