JD.com

E-CommerceFounded 1998- HQ today: Beijing, China

Founders

Who Founded JD.com?

Richard Liu Qiangdong · Founded 1998 · HQ today: Beijing, China

Who founded JD.com?

JD.com was founded by Richard Liu Qiangdong in 1998. It is now led by Sandy Xu Ran.

Founders: Richard Liu Qiangdong
Founded: 1998
Headquarters: Beijing, China
Number of founders: 1
Current CEO: Sandy Xu Ran (since 2023)

Where was JD.com founded?: JD.com was founded in Beijing, China in 1998.
When was JD.com founded?: JD.com was founded in 1998.
Who started JD.com?: JD.com was founded by Richard Liu Qiangdong.
How old is JD.com?: JD.com is 28 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

Richard Liu opened a small counter in Beijing's Zhongguancun electronics market in 1998, selling magneto-optical drives and building a reputation for genuine products in a market known for fakes. When the 2003 SARS outbreak emptied the market, he began selling online through internet forums. Online sales grew fast enough that in 2004 he launched a dedicated website and later closed his physical stores to focus on e-commerce.

Richard Liu Qiangdong

Co-founder 1998

Background

Liu grew up in a poor rural family in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, studied sociology at Renmin University of China in Beijing, graduating in 1996, and taught himself programming while a student. He later earned an EMBA from China Europe International Business School.

Role at JD.com

Richard Liu Qiangdong founded JD.com in Beijing in June 1998 as Jingdong, a small counter in the Zhongguancun electronics market selling magneto-optical drives. He built a reputation for genuine products in a market known for fakes. When the 2003 SARS outbreak emptied the market, he began selling online and in 2004 launched a dedicated website. From 2007 he chose to build JD's own warehouses and delivery network, a costly bet that became the core of JD Logistics. He led JD to its 2014 NASDAQ listing, stepped down as CEO in 2022 and remains Chairman, controlling a majority of voting power through high-vote Class B shares. Richard Liu Qiangdong was born in 1973.

JD.com: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Sandy Xu Ran

CEO

2023 – Present

A former PwC audit partner who joined JD as CFO in 2018, Xu has run JD with a focus on cost discipline and shareholder returns, while backing big new bets in food delivery and Europe.

Xu Lei

CEO

2022 – 2023

Xu played a critical role in establishing the '618' mid-year shopping festival into China's second-largest nationwide retail event.

Richard Liu

Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

1998 – 2022

He built JD.com around its own logistics network and listed it on Nasdaq in 2014. He handed the chief executive role to Xu Lei in April 2022 and remained chairman.

Keep researching JD.com

Who Founded JD.com? FAQ

Who founded JD.com and in what year was the company established?

JD.com was founded on June 18, 1998, by Richard Liu Qiangdong in the Zhongguancun tech district of Beijing, China, under the original business name Jingdong Century.

What was Richard Liu's humble origin and rise from rural Suqian, Jiangsu?

Born into a poor peasant family in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, Richard Liu's village neighbors pooled together 500 yuan and 76 eggs to send him to Renmin University of China in Beijing, where he taught himself computer programming while studying sociology.

What was Jingdong's original business when founded in 1998 in Zhongguancun?

In June 1998, with CN¥12,000 in personal savings, Richard Liu rented a tiny 4-square-meter retail stall in Beijing's Zhongguancun electronics market, selling magneto-optical drives and CD burners, establishing a reputation for never selling counterfeit goods.

What was the 2003 SARS epidemic crisis that forced Richard Liu to pivot online?

In spring 2003, the SARS outbreak forced the closure of all of Liu's 12 physical electronics shops as customers stayed home. Desperate to survive, Liu began posting product listings on internet bulletin boards (BBS), realizing the large future of e-commerce and launching the JD website (360buy.com) in January 2004.

Who was Kathy Xu and what was Capital Today's landmark $10 million investment in 2007?

In 2007, well-known venture capitalist Kathy Xu of Capital Today recognized Liu's integrity and customer obsession, investing $10 million in JD.com (when Liu asked for only $2M), providing the crucial capital to build JD's nationwide logistics network.

Why was Richard Liu's 2007 decision to build self-operated logistics considered crazy?

In 2007 many investors saw Liu's plan to build warehouses and hire couriers as too capital-heavy, and it kept JD loss-making for years. That network is now the core of JD Logistics, which is listed in Hong Kong and serves outside customers.

What is the origin of the name 'Jingdong'?

The name 'Jingdong' (京东) was created by combining the name of Richard Liu's college girlfriend (Gong Xiaojing - 'Jing') with his own given name (Qiangdong - 'Dong').

How is Richard Liu's philanthropic legacy celebrated in his hometown of Suqian?

Richard Liu set up major JD operations, including a large customer service center, in his hometown of Suqian in Jiangsu Province, which became one of JD's biggest employment hubs.

Who founded JD.com?

It was founded by Richard Liu (Liu Qiangdong). Born to a poor family of coal shippers in rural Jiangsu, Liu is famous for his incredible intensity and obsession with customer service. During the company's early years of hyper-growth, he famously put his own desk in the customer service department so he could personally hear every single complaint about shipping delays.

Related Founder Profiles

Compare founding stories, origins, and entrepreneurial journeys

Competitor

Alibaba

View Founder Profiles

Competitor

Amazon

View Founder Profiles

Explore JD.com

Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.