JD.com, China’s largest online direct sales company, has appointed former Yahoo! executive Chen Zhang as senior VP.

Zhang will head research & development for JD Mall, reporting to Haoyu Shen, JD Mall’s CEO.

Zhang has been recruited to oversee JD Mall’s R&D staff, focusing on research that will enhance the company’s mobile applications, cloud computing and big data infrastructure. Daxue Li, who heads JD.com’s R&D team, will leave the company to pursue personal interests after a transitionary period but continue as an advisor to JD.com.

At Yahoo, Zhang established and led the company’s Beijing Global Research & Development Center. In this role, he specialised in research related to personalisation, advertising, mobile and cloud computing technologies. During his 18 years at Yahoo, he held a number of other senior roles, and led the development of the hugely successful Yahoo Messenger product.

“Chen is one of the most experienced executives in his field, not just in China, but globally,” said CEO Shen.

“His breadth of experience has relevance right across our business, and we are confident he will have an immediate and lasting impact on our growth.”

Zhang said he believes JD.com is one of the most innovative companies in the industry, led by a team that truly understands how technology can drive strategic success.

JD.com, Inc. is a leading online direct sales company in China, with seven fulfillment centers and 123 warehouses in 40 cities and 3210 delivery and pick-up stations across China.