As Trip.com Group releases its latest earnings results, the company has announced the resignation of Min Fan and Qi Ji, two of its co-founders. Both individuals were integral to establishing the company in 1999 and were considered part of the founding quartet, alongside James Liang and Neil Shen, who helped create the leading OTA platform in China.

The announcement arrives during a period of increased regulatory scrutiny. With the opening of an antitrust investigation by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on January 14, allegations have arisen regarding potential market dominance abuse by Trip.com Group.

Min Fan’s contributions include developing the operational framework of the company. Having served in critical roles such as Executive Vice President, COO, and CEO, he oversaw significant expansion between 2006 and 2013. After his CEO tenure, he held the position of Vice Chairman and President, continuing his influence in governance.

Conversely, Qi Ji began as a co-CEO around 2000 before transitioning to focus more on hotel development, which led to his later ventures including establishing Home Inns.

The resignations mark a significant shift for Trip.com, illustrating the move towards management driven by professional executives, indicating a gradual phasing out of the original founding team from active governance roles.