Robin Li
Encyclopedia
Robin Li is a Chinese
entrepreneur
, co-founder of China's most popular search engine Baidu
.
Li studied information management
at Peking University
and the State University of New York, Buffalo. In 2000 he founded Baidu
with Eric Xu (徐勇). He has been the CEO of Baidu since January 2004, which was listed on NASDAQ
in August 2005.
Li has been listed as one of the 15 Asian Scientists To Watch by Asian Scientist Magazine
on 15 May 2011.
, Shanxi
, China
, where he spent most of his childhood. Both of his parents were factory workers. Li was the fourth of five children, and the only boy among the five.
Li was admitted by Yangquan First High School by achieving the second highest grades in the entrance examination. In high school, Li enjoyed computer class and participated in numerous programming competitions city-wide. In 1987, Li attended the National Higher Education Entrance Examination and achieved the top grade among all examinees in Yangquan. Consequently, he chose Peking University
for college where he studied information management
for four years and received a Bachelor of Science degree.
In the fall of 1991, Li went to SUNY-Buffalo
in the US to study computer science towards a Doctoral degree. He received his Master of Science degree in 1994 after he had decided to discontinue his PhD program work.
. He also did work on better algorithms for search engines. He remained at IDD Information Services from May 1994 to June 1997.
In 1996, while at IDD, Li developed the RankDex site-scoring algorithm for search engines results page ranking and received a US patent for the technology. He later used this technology for the Baidu search engine.
Robin worked as a staff engineer for Infoseek
, a pioneer internet search engine company, from July 1997 to December 1999.
Another of his important innovative achievements was the picture search of Go.com.
In the nine years since founding Baidu in January 2000, Robin has turned the company into the largest Chinese search engine, with over 70% market share, and the third largest independent search engine in the world. In 2005, Baidu completed its successful IPO on NASDAQ, and in 2007 became the first Chinese company to be included in the NASDAQ-100 Index.
He was listed in the CNN Money annual "50 people who matter now" in 2007.
At the end of 1999, he brought risk investment back to China to found Baidu with his friend Eric Xu.
In 2001, he was titled “the Chinese Top Ten Innovative Pioneers” 中国十大创业新锐
In 2002 and 2003, he was honored of “IT Ten Famous Persons” IT十大风云人物
In April, 2004, he was elected the second session of “Chinese Software Ten Outstanding Young Persons”中国软件十大杰出青年
On August 23, 2005, he was honored the twelfth session of “ASEAN Youth Award” 东盟青年奖
On December 28, he was honored of “CCTV 2005 Chinese Economic Figures of The Year” CCTV2005中国经济年度人物
On December 10, he was elected 2006 world’s “Best Business Leader” of the American Business Weekly 美国《商业周刊》2006全球“最佳商业领袖
area. They had dated for 6 months before they wedded on October 10 the same year in New Jersey. They have one daughter.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, co-founder of China's most popular search engine Baidu
Baidu
Baidu, Inc. , simply known as Baidu and incorporated on January 18, 2000, is a Chinese web services company headquartered in the Baidu Campus in Haidian District, Beijing, People's Republic of China....
.
Li studied information management
Information management
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
at Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
and the State University of New York, Buffalo. In 2000 he founded Baidu
Baidu
Baidu, Inc. , simply known as Baidu and incorporated on January 18, 2000, is a Chinese web services company headquartered in the Baidu Campus in Haidian District, Beijing, People's Republic of China....
with Eric Xu (徐勇). He has been the CEO of Baidu since January 2004, which was listed on NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
in August 2005.
Li has been listed as one of the 15 Asian Scientists To Watch by Asian Scientist Magazine
Asian Scientist Magazine
Asian Scientist Magazine is a science & technology magazine that was launched as an MIT alumni start-up in March 2011 by the company, Asian Scientist LLP....
on 15 May 2011.
Early years
Li was born in YangquanYangquan
Yangquan is a prefecture-level city in the Shanxi province of China. Situated to the west side of Taihang Mountain, Yangquan occupies a total area of 4,470 square kilometers and is home to a population of about 1.3 million . Yangquan is rich in mineral resources and is famous for its smokeless coal...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where he spent most of his childhood. Both of his parents were factory workers. Li was the fourth of five children, and the only boy among the five.
Li was admitted by Yangquan First High School by achieving the second highest grades in the entrance examination. In high school, Li enjoyed computer class and participated in numerous programming competitions city-wide. In 1987, Li attended the National Higher Education Entrance Examination and achieved the top grade among all examinees in Yangquan. Consequently, he chose Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
for college where he studied information management
Information management
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
for four years and received a Bachelor of Science degree.
In the fall of 1991, Li went to SUNY-Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
in the US to study computer science towards a Doctoral degree. He received his Master of Science degree in 1994 after he had decided to discontinue his PhD program work.
Road to Baidu
In 1994, Li joined IDD Information Services, a New Jersey division of Dow Jones and Company, where he helped develop a software program for the online edition of The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
. He also did work on better algorithms for search engines. He remained at IDD Information Services from May 1994 to June 1997.
In 1996, while at IDD, Li developed the RankDex site-scoring algorithm for search engines results page ranking and received a US patent for the technology. He later used this technology for the Baidu search engine.
Robin worked as a staff engineer for Infoseek
Infoseek
Infoseek was a popular search engine founded in 1994 by Steve Kirsch.Infoseek was originally operated by the Infoseek Corporation, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. Infoseek was bought by The Walt Disney Company in 1998, and the technology was merged with that of the Disney-acquired Starwave...
, a pioneer internet search engine company, from July 1997 to December 1999.
Another of his important innovative achievements was the picture search of Go.com.
In the nine years since founding Baidu in January 2000, Robin has turned the company into the largest Chinese search engine, with over 70% market share, and the third largest independent search engine in the world. In 2005, Baidu completed its successful IPO on NASDAQ, and in 2007 became the first Chinese company to be included in the NASDAQ-100 Index.
He was listed in the CNN Money annual "50 people who matter now" in 2007.
Honors
In 1998, he published the book Business War in Silicon Valley 硅谷商战 in the Mainland according to his work and life experience in Silicon Valley.At the end of 1999, he brought risk investment back to China to found Baidu with his friend Eric Xu.
In 2001, he was titled “the Chinese Top Ten Innovative Pioneers” 中国十大创业新锐
In 2002 and 2003, he was honored of “IT Ten Famous Persons” IT十大风云人物
In April, 2004, he was elected the second session of “Chinese Software Ten Outstanding Young Persons”中国软件十大杰出青年
On August 23, 2005, he was honored the twelfth session of “ASEAN Youth Award” 东盟青年奖
On December 28, he was honored of “CCTV 2005 Chinese Economic Figures of The Year” CCTV2005中国经济年度人物
On December 10, he was elected 2006 world’s “Best Business Leader” of the American Business Weekly 美国《商业周刊》2006全球“最佳商业领袖
Personal life
Robin Li is married to Dongmin Ma. In 1995, Li met Ma at a social event of Chinese students in the Greater New YorkGreater New York
Greater New York or Greater New York City may refer to:* the statistical New York metropolitan area consisting of New York City and surrounding counties of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania...
area. They had dated for 6 months before they wedded on October 10 the same year in New Jersey. They have one daughter.
Further reading
- Lee, Melanie, "NEWSMAKER-Baidu founder rules China's Web with pragmatism", ReutersReutersReuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, Tue Jan 19, 2010