Early Life and Education
Yang Yuanqing was born on November 12, 1964, in Hefei, Anhui province, China. His parents were surgeons. He received a bachelor's degree in computer science from Shanghai Jiaotong University in 1986 and a master's degree in computer science from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1988.
Rise to Success
Yang joined Lenovo (then Legend) in 1989 as a salesperson. He quickly advanced, becoming head of the personal computer business at age 29. In 2001, he became the CEO of Lenovo, succeeding Liu Chuanzhi. Under his leadership, Lenovo transformed into a global technology leader, completing key acquisitions such as IBM's PC business in 2005 and Motorola Mobility in 2014. He served as Chairman from 2004-2008, and then returned to CEO in 2009.
Key Business Strategies
Yang focused on expanding Lenovo's presence in the global market, particularly through strategic acquisitions and a strong emphasis on innovation and distribution. He implemented strategies to enhance distribution efficiency and foster a transparent corporate ethos. He also pushed for legislation to protect privacy and personal data on the web. Yang has also focused on new growth engines, including infrastructure, mobile, and solutions and services.
Philanthropy
Yang is committed to philanthropy, particularly in education and scientific research. He donated $28 million to his alma mater, the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), in December 2023 to support scientific research and innovation. He has made other donations to Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tsinghua University. In 2015, the University of North Carolina created the Yang Scholars program to recognize significant scholarly contributions.
