# Yong Zhang

> Yong Zhang is co-founder, chairman and CEO of Salary.com. He joined as CTO in April 2000, added operating and global leadership responsibilities, and returned in 2016 after the founding team reacquired the business from IBM. Appointed chairman and CEO in December 2025, he now leads its expansion into talent management through SalaryTalent.

- **Role:** Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Salary.com
- **Organizations:** Salary.com, Salary.com China, Ltd., Iconomy.com, Smart Route System, Aerovox, Inc.
- **Education:** B.S. in Physics, Shanghai University of Science and Technology, M.S. in Physics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, M.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, MBA, Cornell University, S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management
- **Known for:** Helped develop Salary.com from an early-stage company into a compensation data and software business., Participated in the founding team’s reacquisition of Salary.com from IBM, announced January 2016., Returned in 2016 with more than two dozen former technologists and compensation professionals.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2000** — Technical leadership and project management at Iconomy.com and Smart Route System; consulting for Aerovox.
- **2000-04** — Became Salary.com chief technology officer.
- **2004-12** — Joined the Salary.com board.
- **2006-06** — Became executive vice president and chief operating officer.
- **2006-12** — Became president and CEO of Salary.com China, Ltd.
- **2009-06** — Added president of global operations.
- **2016-03** — Return announced as COO, CTO and president of global operations following reacquisition from IBM.
- **2025-12** — Appointed chairman and CEO, succeeding Kent Plunkett, who moved to a board director role.
- **2026-09** — Led Salary.com as it launched SalaryTalent and expanded into talent management.

## Achievements

- Helped develop Salary.com from an early-stage company into a compensation data and software business.
- Participated in the founding team’s reacquisition of Salary.com from IBM, announced January 2016.
- Returned in 2016 with more than two dozen former technologists and compensation professionals.
- Earned WorldatWork Certified Compensation Professional and Global Remuneration Professional credentials.
- Appointed chairman and CEO in December 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Salary.com launched SalaryTalent on September 28, extending compensation intelligence into talent management under CEO Yong Zhang.
- **2025-12** — Salary.com appointed Zhang chairman and CEO on December 2; Kent Plunkett moved to a board director role.

## Links

- Website: https://www.salary.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yong-zhang-7415a02/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/yong-zhang
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-25