in co , ▁a ▁military ▁supp lier . ▁He ▁began ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁project ▁manager , ▁then ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁company ' s ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁including ▁a ▁st int ▁in ▁the ▁company ' s ▁office ▁in ▁Te h ran . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Vice ▁President ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁he ▁had ▁become ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁company , ▁first - in - charge . ▁He ▁also ▁became ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁China ▁W an ba o ▁Engineering ▁Ltd . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Z hang ▁began ▁work ▁for ▁the ▁China ▁North ▁Indust ries ▁Group ▁Corporation ▁as ▁a ▁Vice - Pres ident . ▁By ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁chief ▁executive ▁of ▁North ▁Indust ries . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁also ▁earned ▁a ▁doctor ate ▁in ▁econom ics ▁from ▁T sing h ua ▁University . ▁Between ▁September ▁and ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁an ▁executive ▁management ▁course ▁at ▁Harvard ▁Business ▁School . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Z hang ▁was ▁named ▁an ▁alternate ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Central ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁China , ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁young est ▁members ▁with ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁body ▁( he ▁was ▁only ▁ 4 2 ▁at ▁the ▁time ). ▁By ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁China ▁North ▁Indust ries