Low-key leaders | Shein's CEO keeps such a low profile that even his staff don't recognise him - is this a good strategy?

The fast fashion brand Shein has recently been in the spotlight due to its looming IPO. The company looked like it was going to float on the London Stock Exchange, not the New York Exchange, and would be the capital’s biggest stock market flotation.

The news was met with a lot of criticism from spectators who highlighted the firm’s labour rights violations and detrimental impact on the environment.

However, Shein, which operates in China and is headquartered in Singapore, missed out on the opportunity to list on London’s Stock Exchange due to “falling short of the minimum shares sold to qualify for inclusion”.

Whilst this news has put the company, which is valued at $66bn, underneath a magnifying glass, stories of the internal workings of the firm have also been brought to light. A particularly interesting one has been how the business’ CEO, Xu Yangtian, keeps such a low profile that his own staff don’t always recognise him or know who he is.