China-based Alibaba fired the supervisor, Wang Chengwen, and disciplined other employees, including its chief people officer Judy Tong, over the alleged assault. The female employee also alleged that an Alibaba client was involved in the sexual assault.
CEO Daniel Zhang slammed his firm’s human resources department, noting it “did not pay enough attention and care to our people.”
Alibaba is trying to limit the reputational fallout from news of the alleged sexual assault and sent its employees a letter noting it would create a committee that will serve as the “decision-making body for matters related but not limited to sexual harassment prevention and will report directly to the Alibaba Group Board of Directors.”
Jane Jiang, deputy chief people officer, will lead the five-women committee.