As co-founder and chief executive officer of fashion e-tail site Xiu.com, Chinese entrepreneur George Ji Wenhong oversees the operations of one of the most prominent e-commerce outlets within China. Launched in 2008 in collaboration with private equity investor Huang Jie, the site was one of the first domestic ventures to offer a mix of clothing, shoes, accessories, cosmetics and home decor from international brands to the Chinese market.
Selling a range of mid-tier brands such as Banana Republic , Anthropologie, Aéropostale and BCBG Max Azria alongside high-end offerings from Dolce & Gabbana, Chloé, Prada, Miu Miu and Fendi, Xiu began attracting a growing consumer base looking for more affordable fashion and by August 2013 counted an estimated three million registered users.
In 2012, Wenhing announced the site's first strategic partnership with Ebay, launching Ebay Style, a fashion site offering over five thousand different brands to Chinese consumers. He announced an exclusive partnership with Italian label Salvatore Ferragamo to launch the brand's official online platform through Xiu in 2013. Wenhong also secured a $20 million investment from venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield Byers (KPCB) in April 2011, followed by a second round investment of $100 million with Warburg Pincus and KPCB in August 2011, marking the site as one of the top e-tailers offering foreign-made merchandise within the Chinese market.
