Chinese billionaire’s wife keeps company fires burning while husband ‘assists’ mainland authorities
Wife and business partner’s role seen as key in fate of Xiao Jianhua
It is a well-known adage that behind every successful man is a strong woman. For Chinese billionaire Xiao Jianhua, that role is being filled by his wife, Zhou Hongwen.
Zhou co-founded Tomorrow Group with her husband. And while he is reportedly on the mainland “assisting” the authorities in an investigation, it will be up to Zhou to hold their business empire together and handle its public relations.
Tomorrow Group’s WeChat account issued a brief statement on Thursday, ahead of today’s resumption of stock trading on the mainland, saying that all operations of the company and its subsidiaries were proceeding normally, and expressing gratitude for the “care and love” shown for Xiao and his business.
A source close to Xiao who declined to be named said Zhou, as a family member, was still able to communicate with her husband.“She is in charge now,” the source said. Statements on the group’s WeChat account were ultimately cleared by Zhou, the source added.
Earlier statements, made after Xiao first disappeared, claimed he was receiving medical treatment “overseas”, which ran counter to Hong Kong police information. Xiao was actually on the mainland, multiple sources reported.