Zhang Yiming Biography

 As of my last update in September 2021, Zhang Yiming is a Chinese entrepreneur who is best known as the co-founder and former CEO of ByteDance, the technology company behind some of the world's most popular social media platforms, including TikTok.

Born in 1983 in Longyan, Fujian, China, Zhang Yiming showed an early interest in technology and computer programming. He studied microelectronics at Nankai University and later earned a master's degree in software engineering from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In 2012, Zhang Yiming co-founded ByteDance, initially focusing on creating mobile apps for news aggregation. However, the company gained significant success and recognition after the launch of TikTok (known as Douyin in China) in 2016. TikTok quickly became a global sensation, attracting hundreds of millions of users and revolutionizing short-form video content.

Under Zhang Yiming's leadership, ByteDance expanded its portfolio of apps and services, including Toutiao, a popular news aggregator, and the international version of TikTok. The company's success made Zhang Yiming one of the wealthiest individuals in China and the world.

However, in May 2021, Zhang Yiming surprised many when he announced that he would step down as CEO of ByteDance. He cited that he was not an ideal manager and preferred "reading and daydreaming" over running a large company. Despite stepping down from the CEO position, Zhang remained involved with ByteDance as a member of the board.

It's important to note that my information might not reflect the latest developments since my knowledge cutoff is in September 2021. Please verify with up-to-date sources to get the latest information on Zhang Yiming and his activities.