---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001628280-23-024454"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ZLAB"
cik: "0001704292"
company_name: "Zai Lab Ltd"
filed_at: "2023-07-06T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-13T11:58:50.207110+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.55
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Zai Lab promotes Yajing Chen to CFO, replacing Billy Cho effective July 7

## Summary
- Yajing Chen promoted to CFO effective July 7, 2023; she was previously Deputy CFO.
- William Cho steps down to pursue private equity opportunity; no disagreements with Company.
- Chen receives $450,000 base salary, 40% target bonus, option for 20,000 ADSs, and 5,000 RSUs.
- Cho gets pro-rated bonus, low six-figure severance, and continued RSU vesting through July 2024 with a three-month trading lock-up.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001628280-23-024454
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ZLAB
- cik: 0001704292
- company_name: Zai Lab Ltd
- filed_at: 2023-07-06T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.55
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1704292/000162828023024454/0001628280-23-024454-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1704292/000162828023024454/zlab-20230706.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-024454
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-024454.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-23-024454.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  William Cho departed as Chief Financial Officer at Zai Lab Ltd.
  - Action: stepping down
  - Role: Chief Financial Officer
  source text: Also on July 6, the Company announced that Dr. Chen will be succeeding William Cho, who is stepping down from his role as Chief Financial Officer, effective July 7, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1704292/000162828023024454/0001628280-23-024454-index.htm
- Executive change
  Yajing Chen was appointed as Chief Financial Officer at Zai Lab Ltd.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Financial Officer
  source text: On July 6, 2023, Zai Lab Limited (the “Company”) announced that it has appointed Dr. Yajing Chen as its Chief Financial Officer, effective July 7, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1704292/000162828023024454/0001628280-23-024454-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.