CHINA. China Duty Free Group (CDFG) today announced that General Manager Wang Xuan had tendered his resignation from the role. He is being succeeded by CDFG’s long-serving and much-respected Executive Vice President & Board Secretary Luke Chang (Chang Zhujun).
Wang will remain as Chairman and a Director of CDFG, the world’s number one travel retailer by sales (click here for our detailed report on parent company China Tourism Group Duty Free Corporation’s strong 2023 results and here for our follow-up on positive market reaction).
Chang will also become a non-independent director of the Fifth Session of the Board of Directors of the Company for a term of office commencing from the date of approval by the Shareholders’ General Meeting.
Chang, aged 50, has served the company and the travel retail industry with enormous distinction for more than two decades. His first role with the group was in 1996 at the Beijing downtown duty free store. His subsequent roles over those years have embraced key category, sales and other leadership positions, notably in the CDFG heartland of Hainan.
CDFG’s Board of Directors expressed sincere gratitude to Wang for his contribution to the company’s development during his tenure as General Manager.
As reported, Wang Xuan replaced his predecessor Chen Guoqiang (Charles Chen) in January 2023 after Chen – who remains a director and Vice-Chairman of the company – resigned from the role.
China Duty Free Group, part of China Tourism Group Duty Free Corporation, is the world’s number one travel retailer by sales according to The Moodie Davitt Report’s annual benchmark rankings, a position it has held since 2020. ✈
The Moodie View: I am personally delighted to report Luke Chang’s appointment to this key leadership role, writes Martin Moodie.
I have known and respected him for many years, dating way back to the inaugural China Travel Retail Summit in Beijing, which my then-fledgling company facilitated alongside CDFG and King Power Group (Hong Kong) in 2002.
No-one who was there will ever forget the extraordinary opportunity to attend a conference at the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square and a Gala Dinner (oh what memories) at the Great Wall of China.
Chang’s personal and career growth since has been tremendously impressive and his appointment will be well received by the travel community, among whom he is highly regarded for his integrity and professionalism.
It has been a good week for CDFG and its parent company with such robust 2023 results and despite the multiple challenges facing the business in China and beyond, the group is in good shape. And, in the form of Luke Chang, in good hands.
