Updated

Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 11

Alibaba Replaces Dingtalk CEO Chen Hang as Shares Slide 5.9% on AI Strategy Debate

Updated

Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 11

Alibaba Replaces Dingtalk CEO Chen Hang as Shares Slide 5.9% on AI Strategy Debate

Q: Was Dingtalk's CEO ousted for his radical AI vision or his harsh work culture?

It appears Chen Hang was pushed out mainly over management style, not because Alibaba rejected his AI vision. The reporting points to two parallel issues inside Alibaba: a strategic debate over how Dingtalk should fit into the group’s broader AI push, and a backlash against Chen’s leadership methods. But the clearest trigger was the internal criticism of Dingtalk’s work culture. Alibaba’s Partnership Committee reportedly responded directly to allegations of high-pressure management, saying that Dingtalk’s style under Chen was “not what Alibaba culture should look like” and that progress should not come at the expense of employee well-being. That criticism was tied to specific complaints after Chen returned in 2025 to accelerate Dingtalk’s AI transformation. Employees reportedly objected to strict attendance rules and late-night workplace checks, and the issue gained visibility after a viral resignation essay and an earlier internal rebuke. Chen’s AI ideas were radical, but they were not obviously disqualifying. In fact, Alibaba replaced him with Chen Yusen, a technologist leading Alibaba Cloud’s AI agent project MuleRun, whose work is closely aligned with Dingtalk’s “Work with AI” direction. That suggests Alibaba is not retreating from AI at Dingtalk; it is changing who leads that effort. So the evidence indicates Chen Hang was removed less for being too aggressive on AI strategy than for the harsh, entrepreneurial management culture he used while pursuing it.

1 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 11

Chen Hang, Dingtalk’s CEO and co-creator, left his role and will be succeeded by technologist Chen Yusen, according to people familiar with the matter.
The change followed an internal debate over how Dingtalk fits into Alibaba’s broader AI strategy, putting the workplace app at the center of a wider company direction dispute.
Staff were told of the decision in an internal memo, the people said.
Alibaba shares fell as much as 5.9% in Hong Kong trading after the leadership shake-up became known.