CNBC AI Exclusive, May 25 — Gree Electric Chairman Dong Mingzhu and her former executive assistant Meng Yutong surprised industry observers this week by reuniting for a livestream event, two years after their high-profile professional split.
The collaboration came into focus early Friday when Meng posted a video on social media featuring behind-the-scenes moments from the broadcast, alongside side-by-side images of herself with Dong spanning 2020 and 2024. “Grateful for Chairperson Dong and the team’s invitation and support,” Meng wrote. “I’ll keep striving toward becoming my best self – no mountain peak marks my final destination, only stepping stones to greater growth.”
Dong addressed the partnership candidly during the session, stating: “While her initial departure involved policy violations – workplace standards must remain uncompromising – our relationship transcends business. Speculation about personal friction is baseless. Yutong remains like family to me.”
When questioned about Meng’s potential return to Gree, China’s air-conditioning titan, Dong delivered a nuanced corporate verdict: “Per company protocol, rehiring former employees isn’t standard practice. However, Meng’s exit wasn’t adversarial – she’s pursuing graduate studies abroad next year. We’ll revisit possibilities post-academia.”
The industrial powerhouse first elevated Meng to the executive suite in 2021 after her standout performance on workplace reality show First Job. At the time, Dong proclaimed ambitions to mentor Meng as “the second Dong Mingzhu,” sparking intense media scrutiny of the then-22-year-old Zhejiang University graduate.
Meng’s 2023 resignation initially fueled speculation about internal tensions, but both parties have since framed the move as a temporary divergence of professional trajectories. Industry analysts note the reunion signals Gree’s strategic embrace of next-gen leadership models while reinforcing Dong’s legacy as China’s preeminent female industrialist.
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