(Yicai Global) Feb. 28 -- Baidu, a Chinese artificial intelligence and search engine giant, will need to find a new strategy leader after Yu Zhengjun resigned following one and a half years of service.

The chief strategy officer will quit on March 1 for personal reasons and without any dispute or disagreement with Baidu, the Beijing-based company said in a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange yesterday. Yu will help the firm transition and hand over his responsibilities smoothly.

Yu became CSO in August 2021 and before that, he was Baidu's chief financial officer, in charge of the firm's financial planning and reporting. He was reporting directly to Baidu's founder and Chairman Robin Li.

Yu graduated from the University of Southern California with a master's degree in accounting, holding a certified public accountant license in California, according to public information. Before Baidu, he was the CFO of Sina and its microblogging platform Sina Weibo.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi