HTHT Corporate

H World Group Limited Announces Change of Board Composition

Published August 15, 2025 at 10:15 AM

SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- H World Group Limited (NASDAQ: HTHT and HKEX: 1179) (“H World” or the “Company”), a key player in the global hotel industry, today announced that the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) appointed, effective from August 15, 2025, (i) Mr. Justin Martin Leverenz (“Mr. Leverenz”) as a director of the Board; (ii) Ms. Yi Zhang (alias Bonnie Yi Zhang) (“Ms. Zhang”) as an independent director of the Board and the chairwoman of the audit committee of the Company (the “Audit Committee”); and (iii) Ms. Lei Cao, an existing independent director of the Company, as a member of the compensation committee of the Company (the “Compensation Committee”). Effective from the same date, Ms. Tong Tong Zhao (“Ms. Zhao”) will step down as an independent director of the Board to serve as an observer of the Board and Mr. Jian Shang (“Mr. Shang”) will step down as an independent director of the Board, the chairman of the Audit Committee, and

Related Questions

How will the addition of Mr. Justin Martin Leverenz and Ms. Yi Zhang affect corporate governance and strategic direction? What experience and expertise do the new directors bring, and how might that influence H World’s operational and financial strategies? Will the change in board composition affect the company’s upcoming strategic initiatives or capital allocation plans? How might the appointment of Ms. Yi Zhang as chairwoman of the Audit Committee impact audit quality and financial reporting transparency? Could the board changes signal potential shifts in risk management or compliance priorities? What is the market’s perception of the departing directors, especially Mr. Jian Shang, and could their departure affect investor confidence? Will the new board composition influence the upcoming shareholder meeting agenda or any upcoming votes? How might these board changes affect the company’s valuation metrics, such as P/E ratio, EV/EBITDA, or price-to-book? Will the board changes have any impact on the company’s strategic partnerships or M&A pipeline? Could the board reshuffle affect the company's dividend policy or share buyback plans? What are the potential short‑term price reactions to this announcement and the likely volatility? How does this board composition change compare to recent board changes at key competitors in the hotel industry?