Founder and chairman of KE Holdings dies of illness

Zuo Hui, the founder and chairman of KE Holdings, gives a speech during the 4th World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China's Zhejiang Province, December 4, 2017. /CFP

Zuo Hui, the founder and chairman of KE Holdings, a China-based real estate services provider, passed away on Thursday due to an unexpected worsening of illness, according to the company.

"From Lianjia to Beike, it's extremely fortunate for us to work hard with Zuo Hui and promote the progress of the industry together. We have lost a close partner and a wise teacher," the company said in a statement on its official We Chataccount.

In 2001, Zuo founded Beijing Homelink Real Estate, also known as Beijing Lianjia, which grew to become one of China's largest offline property brokerages.

He then consolidated Beijing Lianjia with other agencies, including Century 21 China Real Estate and Zhonghuan Real Estate, to form KE Holdings in 2018, which is better known as Beike Zhaofang.

A screenshot of the KE Holdings statement on its official WeChat account, May 20, 2021. /KE Holdings