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Global forest products information provider Fastmarkets, together with Shanghai RUIZHIXIN Consulting, jointly announced that Ms. Cheung Yan, Chairlady of Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings), has been named Asian CEO of the Year 2026. The award ceremony will be held on September 10–11 at the 25th Fastmarkets Forest Products Asia Conference (formerly the RISI Asia Conference) at the Shanghai Marriott Marquis City Centre. The event is co-organized by Fastmarkets and Shanghai RUIZHIXIN Consulting.
Now in its 25th year, Fastmarkets Asian CEO of the Year Award has become one of the most influential honors in the forest products industry. It represents the highest recognition for business leaders who have delivered outstanding corporate performance and major strategic transformation while demonstrating strong commitment to environmental protection and sustainability. This year, Fastmarkets and Shanghai RUIZHIXIN Consulting jointly decided to present the 2026 Asian CEO of the Year Award to Ms. Cheung Yan of Nine Dragons Paper, in recognition of her exceptional strategic vision and steadfast leadership during challenging market conditions, which have reinforced the company’s core competitiveness beyond cyclical volatility.
In fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, under the leadership of Chairlady Cheung Yan, Nine Dragons Paper achieved a counter-cyclical breakthrough amid an overall weak market, reaching a new milestone: the company’s sales volume exceeded 20 million tonnes for the first time, reaching 21.5 million tonnes, while its revenue increased by 6.3% and net profit surged by 177.3%, demonstrating exceptional resilience to cyclical risks. In the six months ended December 31, 2025, Nine Dragons Paper sustained its strong momentum and delivered even more impressive results: sales volume reached 12.4 million tonnes, setting a record high for the same period for three consecutive years; gross margin rose to 14.4%, and net profit jumped 225.1% year on year; and half-year earnings already exceeded the full-year level of the previous fiscal year, marking a step change in profitability.
Behind this outstanding performance is the fruition of Chairlady Cheung Yan’s forward-looking “pulp and paper integration” strategy. After several years of continuous investment, Nine Dragons Paper has developed into the world’s largest paper manufacturer by capacity and a leading integrated pulp and paper producer, with its total capacity of fiber raw material reaching 8.2 million tonnes. This has not only established a solid raw material self-sufficiency system but also driven comprehensive product upgrades toward higher-end, differentiated offerings.
Ms. Cheung Yan had received Fastmarkets Asian CEO of the Year Award in 2014 and 2017, making this her third time winning the honor. In response, she said: “I sincerely thank the organizers for this recognition. Against the backdrop of multiple policy shifts in the paper industry, as well as significant fluctuations in raw material costs and product prices, Nine Dragons Paper has steadily advanced its pulp and paper integration strategy and optimized its product mix. By adhering to lean operations and improving both quality and efficiency, we have achieved leapfrog growth. Looking ahead, I will continue to unite and lead all colleagues at Nine Dragons, maintaining strategic focus while empowering high-quality development through execution and innovation, ensuring the company’s steady and long-term progress.”
The award ceremony is scheduled to be held on the morning of Thursday, September 10, 2026. Nearly 300 industry leaders and experts from more than 20 countries will gather to witness this milestone moment. Ms. Cheung Yan will attend and deliver a keynote speech, sharing the company’s strategic transformation initiatives and achievements, while also outlining her outlook on the future development of both the industry and the company.