NetEase Announces Management Change

Rhea-AI Summary

NetEase (DAO) announced the retirement of Yingfeng Ding, Executive Vice President and head of the Interactive Entertainment Group, effective December 31, 2025. After 23 years with the company, he will step down from his operational role and will remain a consultant to NetEase in 2026. CEO William Ding thanked Yingfeng Ding for his contributions to flagship titles and to building R&D and operational capabilities.

Positive

• Yingfeng Ding served 23 years at NetEase
• Yingfeng Ding will remain a consultant in 2026, providing continuity

Negative

• Departure of the Executive VP who led the Interactive Entertainment Group effective Dec 31, 2025

News Market Reaction

-1.79%

1 alert

-1.79% News Effect

-$21M Valuation Impact

$1.15B Market Cap

0.4x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, DAO declined 1.79%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction. This price movement removed approximately $21M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $1.15B at that time.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

HANGZHOU, China, Dec. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999, "NetEase" or the "Company"), a leading internet and game services provider, today announced that after 23 years with the Company, Yingfeng Ding has decided to retire from his position as Executive Vice President and head of the Interactive Entertainment Group, a part of NetEase's online games division, effective December 31, 2025. 

"We extend our sincere gratitude to Mr. Yingfeng Ding for his dedication and contributions," said Mr. William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director of NetEase. "He played a pivotal role behind the success of our flagship titles and was instrumental in building our R&D and operational capabilities."

Mr. Yingfeng Ding will remain a consultant to NetEase in 2026 following his retirement.

About NetEase, Inc.

NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999, "NetEase") is a leading internet and game services provider centered around premium content. With extensive offerings across its expanding gaming ecosystem, the Company develops and operates some of the most popular and longest-running mobile and PC games available in China and globally.

Powered by one of the largest in-house game R&D teams focused on mobile, PC and console, NetEase creates superior gaming experiences, inspires players, and passionately delivers value for its thriving community worldwide. By infusing play with culture, and education with technology, NetEase transforms gaming into a meaningful vehicle to build a more entertaining and enlightened world.

Beyond games, NetEase service offerings include its majority-controlled subsidiaries Youdao (NYSE: DAO), an intelligent learning and advertising solutions provider, and NetEase Cloud Music (HKEX: 9899), a well-known online music platform featuring a vibrant content community, as well as Yanxuan, NetEase's private-label consumer lifestyle brand.

For more information, please visit: http://ir.netease.com/.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions. In addition, statements that are not historical facts, including statements about NetEase's strategies and business plans, its expectations regarding the growth of its business and its revenue and the quotations from management in this announcement are or contain forward-looking statements. NetEase may also make forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. The accuracy of these statements may be impacted by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including risks related to: the risk that the online games market will not continue to grow or that NetEase will not be able to maintain its position in that market in China or globally; risks associated with NetEase's business and operating strategies and its ability to implement such strategies; NetEase's ability to develop and manage its operations and business; competition for, among other things, capital, technology and skilled personnel; potential changes in regulatory environment in the markets where NetEase operates; the risk that NetEase may not be able to continuously develop new and creative online services or that NetEase will not be able to set, or follow in a timely manner, trends in the market; risks related to evolving economic cycles and geopolitical tensions, including the direct or indirect impacts of national trade, investment, protectionist, tax or other laws or policies as well as export controls and economic or trade sanctions; risks related to the expansion of NetEase's businesses and operations internationally; risks associated with cybersecurity threats or incidents; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that could adversely affect NetEase's business and financial results. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in NetEase's filings with the SEC and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NetEase does not undertake any obligation to update this forward-looking information, except as required under applicable law.

Contact for Media and Investors:
Email: ir@service.netease.com
Tel: (+86) 571-8985-3378

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/netease-announces-management-change-302649589.html

SOURCE NetEase, Inc.

FAQ

Who is retiring at NetEase (DAO) and when is the retirement effective?

Yingfeng Ding, Executive Vice President and head of the Interactive Entertainment Group, retires effective December 31, 2025.

What role did Yingfeng Ding hold at NetEase (DAO) before retiring?

He was Executive Vice President and head of the Interactive Entertainment Group within NetEase's online games division.

Will Yingfeng Ding continue working with NetEase (DAO) after retirement?

Yes, he will remain a consultant to NetEase in 2026.

How long did Yingfeng Ding work at NetEase (DAO)?

He worked at NetEase for 23 years before deciding to retire.

Did NetEase (DAO) comment on Yingfeng Ding's contributions?

Yes, CEO William Ding thanked him for his dedication and said he was pivotal to flagship titles and R&D and operational capabilities.