Board of Directors

Dr. LI Yifan is the Chairman of the Board, an executive Director and our Co-Founder, and has been serving as our Chief Executive Officer since our inception. Prior to co-founding Hesai, Dr. Li worked at Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ: WDC) in Silicon Valley from August 2013 to October 2014. Dr. Li received his master’s degree in mechanical engineering and his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in August 2009 and August 2013, respectively, with a research focus on robotics. Dr. Li also holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering, majoring in measurement and control technology and instrumentation, from Tsinghua University in July 2009. Dr. Li’s numerous accolades include being named as Fortune Magazine’s “40 Under 40 in China,” MIT Technology Review’s “2020 Innovators Under 35 of China,” and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum for the Class of 2021.

Dr. SUN Kai is an executive Director and our Co-Founder, and has been serving as our Chief Scientist since our inception. Prior to co-founding Hesai, Dr. Sun worked as a research associate at Stanford University in 2014. Dr. Sun’s research focus was primarily on building ultra-fast and high-sensitivity molecular detection systems with lasers and novel detection technologies. These detection systems operate in extreme conditions for the research of reaction kinetics. Dr. Sun is a first author in a number of international journals, and several of his papers were selected to IOP Select (Institute of Physics in the UK), Spotlight of OSA (Optical Society of America), and “100 Years of Combustion Kinetics at Argonne.” In 2013, Dr. Sun won an Outstanding Paper Award for his publication in the academic journal Measurement Science and Technology. Dr. Sun graduated from Stanford University, with a Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering (with a minor in electrical engineering) and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering in January 2014 and January 2010, respectively. Dr. Sun also obtained his bachelor’s degree in thermal energy and power engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in July 2007. 

Mr. XIANG Shaoqing is an executive Director and our Co-Founder, and has been serving as our Chief Technology Officer since our inception. Prior to co-founding Hesai, Mr. Xiang worked at Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) as an iPhone hardware systems integration engineer from April 2011 to October 2014. Mr. Xiang received a fellowship award and obtained his dual master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering from Stanford University in January 2009 and March 2011, respectively. Mr. Xiang was a recipient of the prestigious Graduate Engineering Fellowship award to commence his postgraduate studies at Stanford University in September 2007. Previously, Mr. Xiang received his bachelor’s degree in engineering, majoring in micro-electromechanical systems, from Tsinghua University in July 2007. 

Ms. YANG Cailian is an executive Director, our joint company secretary and has been serving as our vice president of operations since November 2017. Ms. Yang joined us in December 2014 as the first employee of Hesai. Prior to joining us, Ms. Yang worked at Citibank (China) Company Limited from October 2014 to December 2014, and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SHA: 600000) from December 2012 to August 2014. Ms. Yang received her bachelor’s degree in business English from Yancheng Teachers University in June 2012.

Ms. ZHANG Yi, has been serving as our independent director since February 2023 and has been re-designated as an independent non-executive Director with effect from the Listing Date. Ms. Zhang has been serving as an independent non-executive director of Swire Pacific Limited (HKEX: 0019), a Hong Kong based international conglomerate with a diversified portfolio of market leading businesses, since June 2022, and an independent director of Yatsen Holding Limited (NYSE: YSG), a Chinese beauty company, since November 2020. She has also been serving as the chief financial officer of Sina Corporation (formerly NASDAQ: SINA, taken private in 2021), an online media company, since March 2015. Ms. Zhang served as an independent director of CreateAl Holdings Inc. (previously known as TuSimple Holdings Inc.) (NASDAQ: TSPH), a global artificial intelligence company, from September 2020 to June 2022 and as an independent non-executive director of Dada Nexus Limited (NASDAQ: DADA), a local on-demand retail and delivery platform in China, from June 2020 to August 2022. From March 2014 to March 2015, Ms. Zhang served as the chief financial officer of Weibo Corporation (NASDAQ: WB; HKEX: 9898), a social media platform in China and one of Sina Corporation’s subsidiaries. Before joining Weibo, Ms. Zhang was the chief financial officer of AdChina Ltd., an integrated internet advertising platform in China, from May 2011 to February 2014. Prior to that, Ms. Zhang was an audit partner of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu based in Shanghai from October 2007 to April 2011. Ms. Zhang also worked at the National Office SEC Services group of Deloitte & Touche, LLP from 2005 to 2007, where she was responsible for pre-issuance reviews of securities offering documents and periodic reports to be filed with the SEC with a focus on foreign private issuers. Ms. Zhang received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from McDaniel College (formerly known as “Western Maryland College”) in May 1997. Ms. Zhang is a certified public accountant in the State of Maryland and is a member of the American Institution of Certified Public Accountants.

Dr. WANG, aged 67, has been serving as an independent director of Beijing FJR Opto-electronic Technology Co., Ltd. (SSE: 688272) since September 2020. She also served as an independent director of Arcsoft Corporation Limited (SSE: 688088) from January 2019 to December 2024. In addition, she taught at the Peking University Law School from 1992 to 2018, most recently as an associate professor. Dr. WANG obtained her Ph.D. degree in international economics law and a master’s degree in international law from Peking University Law School in June 1992 and July 1988, respectively. She also obtained her bachelor of arts degree from Peking University in July 1984.

Mr. REN Jia has been appointed as an independent non-executive Director with effect from the Listing Date. Mr. Ren has been serving as an independent director of SVG Tech Group Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 300331), a micro-nano equipment and functional material devices company based in China since October 2021, the chairman of the board of Hangzhou Xinqinghang Technology Development Co., Ltd. since January 2021, a director of Zhejiang Deyilong Technology Co., Ltd. since April 2020, as well as the chairman of the board and the general manager of Shanghai Xinwei Technology Development Co., Ltd. since July 2014. Prior to his current positions, Mr. Ren was an independent director of Beijing InHand Networks Technology Co., Ltd. (SSE: 688080), an Internet of things solutions provider in China from December 2017 to December 2023, and an independent director of Changhong Meiling Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 000521), a home appliances manufacturer in China from July 2014 to October 2020. Mr. Ren received his bachelor’s degree in engineering physics and his master’s degree in metal physics from Tsinghua University in July 1987 and December 1989, respectively.