Zhang Kangyang
Zhang in 2023
Born
张康阳

(1991-12-21) 21 December 1991 (age 32)[1]
Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
NationalityChinese
Alma materWharton School of the University of Pennsylvania[2]
OccupationBusinessman
Known forChairman of Inter Milan[2]
Board member ofInter Milan (chairman)
Suning International (chairman)
Suning Holdings Group (vice chairman)
Suning.com (director)
Suning Real Estate (minor shareholder)
Parent
Zhang Kangyang
Simplified Chinese张康阳
Traditional Chinese張康陽

Zhang Kangyang (Chinese: 张康阳; born 21 December 1991), known as Steven Zhang, is a Chinese businessman and the chairman of Italian football club Inter Milan.[3]

Biography

Born in Nanjing, Zhang is the son of Chinese billionaire Zhang Jindong, founder and chairman of the Suning Holdings Group. He was featured in Fortune China magazine's "40 Under 40" list.[4]

As the President of Suning International, Steven Zhang has the ultimate responsibility for spearheading the business's international expansion and future ambitions. Suning International is part of Suning Holdings Group – the commercial giant ranked second among the top 500 non-state-owned enterprises in China and list of largest private non-governmental companies by revenue with annual revenues of RMB 665.3 billion (approximately US$103 billion).[5]

They are also the owners of Suning.com, a smart retail subsidiary currently ranked China's most valuable retail brand and listed on the Fortune Global 500 List of the world's largest companies for three successive years, with a total brand value of RMB 269.198 billion and an operating income in over S$39 billion.[6]

Football

Inter Milan

In October 2018, Steven Zhang became the youngest ever chairman of Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A., known as Inter Milan (or simply Inter).[7] Having been instrumental in Suning Holdings Group's acquisition of Inter in 2016, he then held a position on the Board and took over the management of operations for the club.[8]

In 2019, Inter's enterprise value rose over 41% to EUR 692 million, the highest growth of any club in Europe. Inter is also ranked in the Top 10 for Club Stadia (Venue Performance).[9]

In February 2020, Inter Milan sued Major League Soccer's Inter Miami for trademark infringement, stating that the term "Inter" is synonymous with its club and no one else.[10] As of 2022, the case continues.[11]

In April 2020, Zhang heavily criticized Paolo Dal Pino on Instagram, the president of Serie A, over his handling of the COVID-19 outbreak among footballers and clubs.[12] Unpopular with multiple Serie A club owners, and not just Inter for general incompetence, Dal Pino would eventually resign in February 2022, after two years in charge.[13]

In July 2022, media reported that the Hong Kong High Court handed down its summary judgement against Zhang for unpaid (USD)$225m debt, Zhang’s liability for unpaid $225m debt raises questions over Inter Milan’s future.[14]

Silverware successes

During the 2019–20 season, Inter finished second in the league and finished as runners-up in the final of the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League – the club's best performance in Europe since their 2009–10 UEFA Champions League victory.

As chairman, Inter returned to winning trophies after having won the 2020–21 Serie A with four days to spare, the nineteenth championship in the history of the club and eleven years after the last triumph in 2009–2010. Zhang became the first foreign owner to win the Scudetto in Italy, and the first Chinese owner to win a domestic top-division European club championship.[15]

On 12 January 2022, Inter Milan won the Italian Super Cup, the second trophy of Zhang's chairmanship.[16][17] On 11 May, Inter Milan won the Coppa Italia, the third trophy under his management.[18]

During the 2022-23 season, he returned to win the second consecutive Italian Super Cup, on the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it is the fourth trophy in his management and he is now placed fourth on the Club's honours board for the number of trophies won as President.[19][20]

On 24 May 2023, Inter won the Coppa Italia. The second consecutive Coppa Italia was won by beating Fiorentina in the final, allowing Steven Zhang to get on the podium of the most titled presidents in Inter's history, ahead of Ernesto Pellegrini and Ivanoe Fraizzoli.[21][22]

On 10 June, at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Inter will play the sixth European Cup/Champions League final in their history, after victories in the previous ones in 1964, 1965 and 2010 and defeats in those of 1967 and 1972: in In the unprecedented match against the English Manchester City F.C., never faced before in UEFA competitions, the Nerazzurri were narrowly beaten by a goal from Rodri, thus missing the opportunity to triumph for the fourth time in the history of the top continental competition.This is the second European final since Zhang has been president of Inter.[23]

On 22 January 2024, Inter won the eighth Supercoppa Italiana, played in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the KSU Stadium, beating Lazio in the semi-final 3 to 0 and Napoli 1 to 0 in the 2023 Supercoppa Italiana final. This is the third Supercoppa Italiana under the presidency of Zhang, who becomes the third most successful Inter president in history, with 6 trophies won out of eight finals played.[24]

Member of the European Club Association

Since March 2018 Steven Zhang has been on the UEFA Club Competitions Committee and is the only member from Asia. From September 2019, he was a member of the European Club Association (ECA) Executive Board.[25] the body established in 2008 and recognised by UEFA and FIFA, representing the interests of professional association football clubs in Europe. He is the first Chinese representative among 24 members of the Board.[26] Zhang resigned from it in April 2021.[27]

References

  1. ^ 国米官宣张康阳担任主席 26岁成历史最年轻主席. Sina Tech (in Chinese (China)). 26 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b "STEVEN ZHANG NAMED PRESIDENT OF FC INTERNAZIONALE MILANO S.P.A." (Press release). Inter Milan. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Inter Milan appoint Zhang as club president". ESPN.com. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Soccer: Steven Zhang is new president of Inter - English". ANSA.it. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Top 10 Chinese private enterprises in 2020". China Daily. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  6. ^ "BRIEF-Suning Opens Milan Office In Euro-Expansion Plans". Reuters. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  7. ^ Fumo, Stefania (27 October 2018). Written at Rome. Yang Yi (ed.). "China's Steven Zhang appointed new Inter president". Beijing. Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  8. ^ "China's Suning buying majority stake in Inter Milan for $307 million". Reuters. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Steven Zhang has been nominated as a Member of the ECA Executive Board". FC Internazionale - Inter Milan. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  10. ^ Mendola, Nicholas (11 February 2020). "MLS, Inter Miami lose key argument in Inter Milan lawsuit". ProSoccerTalk | NBC Sports. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  11. ^ Winker, David (4 January 2021). "Inter Milan First Round Trademark Win Over Inter Miami Stands". law.com.
  12. ^ Gaubert, Julie (3 March 2020). "'You are the biggest clown': Inter Milan chief's coronavirus tirade". euronews. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino resigns". SportsPro. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  14. ^ "Zhang's liability for unpaid $225m debt raises questions over Inter Milan's future". Inside World Football. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  15. ^ Mariangela Pira (2 May 2021). "Inter, Suning 1st foreign ownership to win the Scudetto in Italy: what happens now?". sport.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Steven Zhang: "This is a really special moment for us"". inter.it. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Inter Milan 2-1 Juventus (AET): Alexis Sanchez hits last-gasp winner in Italian Super Cup". Sky Sports. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  18. ^ ANSA editorial staff (12 May 2022). "Coppa Italia: Zhang 'I am very confident for the championship'" (in Italian). ANSA. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Zhang: "È il quarto trofeo della mia gestione. Con me si punterà sempre a vincere"" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  20. ^ "STEVEN ZHANG: "VITTORIA EMOZIONANTE E GRATIFICANTE"" (in Italian). inter.it. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  21. ^ "STEVEN ZHANG, 5° TROFEO IN 5 ANNI CON L'INTER! E' IL PRESIDENTE PIÙ TITOLATO DOPO MASSIMO ED ANGELO MORATTI" (in Italian). eurosport.it. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  22. ^ Andrea Ramazzotti (25 May 2023). "Zhang, altro trofeo. È il 3° presidente più vincente dopo i Moratti: "Un onore, ma della finale non parlo"" (in Italian). gazzetta.it. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Inter, che peccato! Gioca alla pari col City, ma la Champions è di Guardiola" (in Italian). gazzetta.it. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  24. ^ "NUMBERS FROM THE SUPERCOPPA WIN". inter.it. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  25. ^ "OFFICIAL - Inter President Zhang Elected To ECA Board". SempreInter.com. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  26. ^ "Zhang becomes first Chinese member of ECA board". SportBusiness. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  27. ^ "Inter President Steven Zhang Resigns From European Club Association After Super League Announcement, Italian Media Report". sempreinter.com. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
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