Kingkey Smart Agri, a Shenzhen-based agrifood and livestock firm, has appointed Jiarong Chen—son of the company’s founder—as president, signaling a full generational transition. Alongside this shift, the firm is exploring a new business trajectory in cultural and technological IP, even as pig farming emerges as its dominant revenue stream. With a leadership team blending expertise in finance, property, and modern agriculture, the company is reconfiguring itself to align with China’s rural revitalization goals while diversifying beyond traditional agribusiness.
A Generational Shift at the Helm
Kingkey Smart Agri, a publicly listed agricultural enterprise headquartered in Shenzhen, recently announced a sweeping executive reshuffle that marks the company’s formal transition into second-generation leadership. On May 16, following the sudden resignation of former President Gen Ba for “personal reasons,” the company’s board of directors appointed Jiarong Chen as the new president. This move follows Chen’s assumption of the board chairmanship in June 2024, signaling his full takeover of the company’s strategic and operational command.
Jiarong Chen
Born in 1988 and holding a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of British Columbia, Jiarong Chen is of Hong Kong China origin with a professional background spanning investment banking, real estate, and digital media. He joined the family-owned Kingkey Group in 2012, and later held senior roles at several of its subsidiaries, including Vice President of Kingkey Holdings and Non-Executive Director at Kingkey Cultural Holdings. He was appointed to Kingkey Smart Agri’s board in November 2022 and was elevated to chairman 18 months later, in June 2024.
Expanding the Executive Bench
Alongside Chen’s promotion, the company announced a series of new executive appointments to consolidate leadership across core business verticals, particularly in agriculture and finance.
To replace the vacated board seat, Executive Vice President Wu Zhijun was promoted to Non-Independent Director. Born in 1961, Wu spent the early part of his career in Guangxi’s state-run agricultural system, where he served as Chairman and General Manager of Yongxin Animal Husbandry Group. Since April 2021, he has served as Executive Vice President of Kingkey Smart Agri, bringing decades of livestock management experience to the company’s senior ranks.
Wu Zhijun
Further reinforcing the company’s agricultural leadership, former Executive Vice President Xinping Cai was appointed as Co-President, with responsibility over the modern agriculture division. Born in 1973, Cai’s career has primarily focused on real estate and commercial property operations. He previously held key roles at Vanke Property and Shenzhen Telecom Industrial Co., and later joined Kingkey Real Estate and Kingkey Baina Commercial Management in senior executive positions. Since 2018, he has served as a board member and Executive VP at Kingkey Smart Agri, bridging commercial strategy with agribusiness operations.
Meanwhile, Chief Financial Officer Bin Gu was promoted to Vice President. Born in 1984, Gu previously worked at Shenzhen Kongjian Real Estate, China Southern Glass, and Kaisa Group, bringing strong financial oversight to the company. Since joining Kingkey Smart Agri in 2018, he has managed auditing and supervision and served as General Manager of a subsidiary in Xuwen County, helping drive regional development.
Also promoted to Vice President was Pengchao Shang, formerly Board Secretary. A legal professional born in 1990, Pengchao worked at King & Wood Mallesons before joining Kingkey Smart Agri in 2018. He has since held multiple governance-related roles, including Head of Securities Legal Affairs and Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
Finally, Di Lan—a veteran in corporate governance—was appointed Vice President and Board Secretary. Born in 1976, Di previously served for 15 years as Deputy General Manager and Board Secretary at Ellassay Fashion Co., and held a similar role at Dash Intelligent Technology Co. Her extensive experience in investor relations has earned her multiple industry accolades, including “New Fortune Gold Medal Board Secretary” and “Golden Bull Award.”
Together, these appointments reflect Kingkey Smart Agri’s strategic pivot toward professionalized management and organizational efficiency, essential for scaling its operations in a shifting agrifood landscape.
A Strategic Pivot Toward Cultural IP
More unexpectedly, the company also announced a new business initiative focused on cultural IP—developing and monetizing products rooted in youth culture, fashion, animation, and digital technology. This diversification move appears, at first glance, to contrast with the firm’s primary revenue source: pig farming.
In fact, company filings show that over 65% of Kingkey Smart Agri’s 2024 revenue came from its swine production business, which has now overtaken real estate—once the company’s mainstay, now accounting for just 21% of revenue.
Public records suggest that Jiarong Chen has long had interests in entertainment and digital media. Between 2014 and 2017, he spearheaded the acquisition of Shenzhen Angchi Animation Studio—later renamed Kingkey Animation—and chaired its board. During that period, the studio’s works amassed over 1.3 billion views and included a 3D animated feature film, Tofu Boy, created in collaboration with talent from Pixar and DreamWorks.
Jiarong Chen (left) with Meitu founder and chairman Wensheng Cai at the IPO
Chen also led investments in live-action films like The Stand-In, leveraging Kingkey’s real estate properties as filming locations. In 2016, Kingkey’s parent company invested HKD 930 million (about USD 118.58 million) in the IPO of Meitu Inc. (HK.1357), maker of popular photo-editing apps. Chen has since served as a non-executive director on Meitu’s board.
With a new leadership team in place, Kingkey Smart Agri is consolidating its core agribusiness while initiating a new venture in cultural IP. Pig farming remains its primary revenue driver, while the diversification into IP marks a new strategic direction under second-generation leadership.
AgriPost.CN – Your Second Brain in China’s Agri-food Industry, Empowering Global Collaborations in the Animal Protein Sector.
