The following members make up the Yalla Board of Directors.  Please select an individual member below to learn more about them and the committees they contribute to.

  • Tao Yang

    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

    Tao Yang has been the Chairman of the board of directors of our company since February 2018. Mr. Yang has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of our company since January 2016. Prior to founding our company, Mr. Yang served as a manager of ZICT Technology Co., Ltd., from June to December 2015. From September 2013 to June 2015, Mr. Yang worked as vice president of Beijing Feinno Communication Technology Co., Ltd. Prior to that, he worked at ZTE Corporation for more than 10 years and was the general manager of ZTE Corporation Abu Dhabi Branch before he left ZTE Corporation. Mr. Yang holds a master’s degree in computer science from Northeastern University in China and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the same school.

  • Saifi Ismail

    Director and President

    Saifi Ismail has been a director of our company since August 2020. Mr. Ismail has been a member of our management team since October 2019 and currently serves as the President of our company. Prior to joining our company, Mr. Ismail served as the director of modern trade at Etisalat, a telecommunications services provider based in the UAE, from 2013 to2019. From 2010 to 2013, Mr. Ismail worked as a vice president of sales and business development at NetComm Wireless. Prior to that, he worked as a manager of devices at Etisalat. Mr. Ismail holds a post graduate certificate in management from Macquarie University in Australia and a bachelor’s degree of computer engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology.

  • Jianfeng Xu

    Director and Chief Operating Officer

    Jianfeng Xu has been a director of our company since May 2018. Mr. Xu has been a member of our management team since January 2016 and currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of our company. Prior to founding our company, Mr. Xu served as a manager of ZICT Technology Co., Ltd. from June to December 2015. From December 2013 to June 2015, Mr. Xu worked at Beijing Feinno Communication Technology Co., Ltd., where he focused on business development and marketing in MENA. Mr. Xu holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from University of Wollongong in Australia.

  • Saeed Al Hamli

    Independent Director

    Saeed Al Hamli has served as one of our independent directors since November 2021. Mr. Al Hamli is an accomplished telecommunications executive with excellent leadership skills and extensive experience navigating challenging environments. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Seattle Project Management Services, which focuses on and embraces new technology trends by investing in and partnering with leading technology companies. He has recently been appointed as a board director of Aurum Equity Partners, which specializes in infrastructure assets that provide essential services to communities and businesses. He had also held leading positions in Etisalat Group, a multinational Emirati-based telecommunications services provider, as chief executive officer of Etisalat Egypt, and chief executive officer of Etisalat Afghanistan. He was one of the early founders of Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications in 1997 and served in Thuraya in many roles, including chief commercial officer. Mr. Al Hamli received an Executive MBA from American University of Sharjah (AUS) in 2003 and a BSC in Electrical Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in 1991.

  • Mohamed Al Ghanim

    Independent Director

    Mohamed Al Ghanim has served as one of our independent directors since August 2022. He also serves as a senior partner in Alpha Alliance Consultancy Company, a board member of Flash Entertainment, and a member of the audit committee of Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management. Mr. Al Ghanim is a renowned telecommunications expert with an extensive regulatory background. He is the founder and ex-director general of the TDRA. From 2004 to 2018, Mr. Al Ghanim led the TDRA to successfully design and implement a regulatory framework for the sector. He also improved UAE’s global competitiveness in the telecom sector by promoting technical skills and national human capital. In addition to his work at the TDRA, Mr. Al Ghanim also held noteworthy positions across the industry, including the vice chairman of the UAE Information and Communications Technology Fund from 2006 to 2009, the chairman of the UAE Institute for Advanced Science and Technology from 2006 to 2009, and a board member of National Media Council from 2008 to 2010. Mr. Al Ghanim received a bachelor’s degree in engineering with excellence and honors from Khalifa University in 1994.

  • David Cui

    Independent Director

    David Cui has served as one of our independent directors since September 2020. Mr. Cui served as the chief financial officer of Vipshop Holdings Limited from November 2020 to May 2023. Mr. Cui has also served as an independent non-executive director of Inkeverse Group Limited, a leading Chinese mobile live streaming company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, since June 2018. Mr. Cui has extensive experience in public accounting and financial management. From August 2017 to September 2020, Mr. Cui was the chief financial officer of Huami Corporation. From August 2015 to April 2017, Mr. Cui was the chief financial officer of China Digital Video Holdings Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Prior to that, Mr. Cui was an independent financial advisor to high growth companies on business strategies, fund raising, corporate governance and accounting matters. From April 2011 to August 2013, Mr. Cui was the chief financial officer in iKang Healthcare Group, Inc., a company listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. He was an audit senior manager of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, China from April 2007 to April 2011. Prior to that, Mr. Cui was the financial reporting manager of Symantec Corporation. From April 2004 to August 2006, he served as an audit manager of Ernst & Young, California. Mr. Cui was a senior auditor in the Audit and Advisory Services practice of Health Net, Inc., California from May 2001 to April 2004. From January 1996 to May 2001, Mr. Cui worked in public accounting in Canada and the United States. Mr. Cui has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Simon Fraser University, Canada and is a licensed CPA in the United States and Canada.

  • Lili Xu

    Independent Director

    Lili Xu has served as one of our independent directors since February 2021. Ms. Xu has also served as an independent director of MINISO Group Holding Limited (NYSE: MNSO) since October 2020 and Weilong Group (HKEx: 9985) since December 2022. Ms. Xu has been the chief financial officer of ClouDr Group Limited (HKEx: 9955) since October 2020. In addition, Prior to that, Ms. Xu served as the chief financial officer of Tongdao Liepin Group (HKEx: 6100) from March 2014 to September 2020 and an executive director thereof since March 2018. From January 2005 to March 2014, Ms Xu held various positions at General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), including the chief financial officer of GE Power Generation Services China. Ms. Xu received a bachelor’s degree in international business from Nanjing University in June 2003 and a master of science degree in local economic development from the London School of Economics and Political Science in November 2004. Ms. Xu is a public accountant certified by the Board of Accountancy of Washington State of the United States.