Youlife Group Inc. (NASDAQ: YOUL) announced that Liqun Yao will serve as its Chief Financial Officer, effective April 29, 2026. The appointment follows the resignation of former CFO Lidong Zhu and the appointment of Yao as acting CFO in November 2025, positioning her to lead the company’s financial strategy as it pursues an aggressive M&A and partnership strategy in China’s blue‑collar services market.
Yao brings a strong background in auditing, corporate finance, and M&A, experience that aligns with Youlife’s focus on expanding its portfolio of vocational schools and recruitment services. Her appointment signals the company’s intent to strengthen financial stewardship and accelerate deal execution as it seeks to acquire regional HR service firms and develop a robotics‑enabled workforce‑as‑a‑service platform with VCI Global Limited.
Youlife’s most recent full‑year results, released on April 28, 2026, showed revenue rising 16.9% year‑over‑year to RMB 1.23 billion, a net profit of RMB 42.7 million, and a 14% increase in cash and cash equivalents. However, revenue from HR recruitment services fell 27%, highlighting a headwind in that segment while overall profitability improved from a loss in the prior year.
In a statement, Yao said the definitive agreement for the acquisition of four regional HR service companies “reflects a more advanced stage in our evaluation process and provides a clear framework for execution.” She also noted that the partnership with VCI Global “shifts from headcount‑based labor to output‑based productivity, unlocking a new growth model for industries across ASEAN.”
The CFO appointment is part of a broader leadership realignment aimed at supporting Youlife’s expansion plans. With Yao’s M&A expertise, the company is better positioned to negotiate and close the pending acquisitions and to integrate new businesses, while also managing the financial risks associated with rapid growth.
Investors viewed the appointment positively, seeing it as a step toward stabilizing the company’s financial leadership amid ongoing challenges such as negative equity and volatile cash flow. The move is expected to enhance confidence in Youlife’s ability to execute its growth strategy.
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