H World appoints new directors and committee members effective August 15, 2025.

H World Group Limited has announced the appointment of Justin Martin Leverenz and Yi Zhang as directors, with Zhang also appointed as chairwoman of the audit committee. Existing independent director Lei Cao will join the compensation committee. Tong Zhao and Jian Shang will step down as independent directors and chairman of the audit committee, respectively, to serve as observers and a member of the board. The appointments are effective August 15, 2025.

H World Group Limited (NASDAQ: HTHT, HKEX: 1179), a significant player in the global hotel industry, has announced significant changes to its Board of Directors, effective August 15, 2025. The appointments include Justin Martin Leverenz as a director, Yi Zhang (Bonnie Yi Zhang) as an independent director and chairwoman of the Audit Committee, and Lei Cao as a member of the Compensation Committee. Tong Tong Zhao and Jian Shang will step down from their roles as independent directors and chairman of the Audit Committee, respectively, to serve as observers and a member of the board [1].

Justin Martin Leverenz, previously the Chief Investment Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager at Invesco Developing Markets Fund, brings extensive experience in investment management and equity research. Yi Zhang, currently the Chief Financial Officer of SINA Corporation, has a robust background in finance and auditing, having served as an audit partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and as an independent director at various companies. Lei Cao, an existing independent director, will join the Compensation Committee, while Tong Tong Zhao and Jian Shang will transition to observer roles and step down from their current positions [1].

The appointments reflect H World Group's commitment to enhancing its governance and leveraging the expertise of new directors to drive long-term sustainable growth. The company's founder and executive chairman, Mr. Qi Ji, expressed his gratitude to the outgoing directors and warmly welcomed the new additions to the board [1].

H World Group operates 11,685 hotels with 1,142,158 hotel rooms in operation across 19 countries as of March 31, 2025, offering a diverse portfolio of brands and business models. The company's operations include leased and owned hotels, managed hotels, and franchised hotels, with a significant portion of its rooms under the manachise and franchise models [1].

References:
[1] https://www.stocktitan.net/news/HTHT/h-world-group-limited-announces-change-of-board-c3c6rpif9xf2.html
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/h-world-group-limited-announces-101500429.html