# Rita Huang Zhen
Rita Huang Zhen (黄珍) is a Chinese entrepreneur, founder and chief executive of [iMile Delivery](https://www.edgepedia.org/imile-delivery) LLC, a logistics company established in 2017 in Dubai that provides e-commerce last-mile delivery for Chinese online sellers shipping to the Middle East and other emerging markets.[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/imile-delivery-secures-40-million-bridging-chinese-sellers-to-emerging-markets-301433563.html) • [2](https://www.caixinglobal.com/2024-10-24/chinese-couriers-ride-the-e-commerce-boom-for-middle-east-expansion-102248749.html) A former Huawei and Alibaba executive, she built the company into a network covering 30 countries and raised a total of $80 million across three rounds, including a $40 million Series A in 2021 at a $350 million valuation with participation from [ByteDance](https://www.edgepedia.org/bytedance).[3](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-30/bytedance-backs-dubai-startup-building-logistics-chain-to-china) • [4](https://www.imile.com/RS-en/AboutUs/) • [5](https://mena.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/entrepreneur-middle-easts-achieving-women-2023-rita/467089)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | iMile Delivery, September 2017, Dubai, U.A.E., with co-founders Naveen Joseph, Gao Wenli, and Nancy Chen[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/imile-delivery-secures-40-million-bridging-chinese-sellers-to-emerging-markets-301433563.html) |
| Prior career | Medical equipment industry, then Huawei Middle East and Africa country manager, then CTO of Alibaba's Dubai cloud joint venture[6](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/money-me-i-like-to-invest-in-my-mind-rather-than-buy-fancy-things-1.1238050) |
| Funding | $10 million pre-Series A (2020), $40 million Series A at $350 million valuation (2021), $30 million Series B led by Qiming Venture Partners (2022)[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/dubai-start-up-imile-to-open-regional-research-centre-as-it-raises-10m-1.986136) • [3](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-30/bytedance-backs-dubai-startup-building-logistics-chain-to-china) • [5](https://mena.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/entrepreneur-middle-easts-achieving-women-2023-rita/467089) |
| Notable investor | ByteDance, which committed around $10 million in the 2021 round[3](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-30/bytedance-backs-dubai-startup-building-logistics-chain-to-china) |
| Coverage | 30 countries, with operations in the Middle East, Mexico, Brazil, and expanding European and Australasian footprints[4](https://www.imile.com/RS-en/AboutUs/) • [8](https://kr-asia.com/how-imile-cracked-mexicos-logistics-and-what-it-means-for-global-e-commerce) |
| Workforce | Reports range from over 2,000 to over 20,000 depending on whether contractors and drivers are counted[9](https://www.itiger.com/news/1194405772) • [8](https://kr-asia.com/how-imile-cracked-mexicos-logistics-and-what-it-means-for-global-e-commerce) • [4](https://www.imile.com/RS-en/AboutUs/) |
| Recognition | Forbes Middle East 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2025, ranked 51st[10](https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/100-most-powerful-businesswomen-2025/rita-huang-zhen/) |
## Early career and founding of iMile
Huang grew up on Hainan island and was the first woman in her family to attend university, graduating in biomedical engineering.[11](https://www.ft.com/content/bc3dee82-b2f9-436e-8cb6-65eee768b939?syn-25a6b1a6=1) She began her career in the medical equipment industry, then became Huawei's Middle East and Africa country manager, leaving China for Dubai in 2008.[6](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/money-me-i-like-to-invest-in-my-mind-rather-than-buy-fancy-things-1.1238050) • [12](https://www.wamda.com/2019/12/conversation-rita-huangzhen-imile)
Alibaba brought her back to Dubai in 2014: a joint venture with Meraas hired her as chief technology officer, and she built the first public cloud computing center in Dubai with du, Etisalat, and the Telecom Regulatory Authority.[12](https://www.wamda.com/2019/12/conversation-rita-huangzhen-imile) Forbes Middle East records her as having worked at Alibaba since 2015 as CTO of its Middle East joint venture.[10](https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/100-most-powerful-businesswomen-2025/rita-huang-zhen/) In 2017 she left Alibaba and founded iMile to connect Chinese manufacturers with online customers in the Middle East.[11](https://www.ft.com/content/bc3dee82-b2f9-436e-8cb6-65eee768b939?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
The company launched in September 2017 with three co-founders, [Naveen Joseph](https://www.edgepedia.org/naveen-joseph), Gao Wenli, and [Nancy Chen](https://www.edgepedia.org/nancy-chen), starting in the UAE and China and expanding to Saudi Arabia in 2018.[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/imile-delivery-secures-40-million-bridging-chinese-sellers-to-emerging-markets-301433563.html) • [13](https://forbesmiddleeast.com/industry/transport/dubai-based-logistics-startup-imile-delivery-bags-%2440m-series-a-financing-round) Huang also launched ePanda, a non-profit communication platform connecting Chinese investors with opportunities in the Middle East.[6](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/money-me-i-like-to-invest-in-my-mind-rather-than-buy-fancy-things-1.1238050)
## Business model and operations
iMile is headquartered in Dubai but its founder and main clientele are Chinese, a combination that lets it sit physically close to Gulf consumers while commercially close to Chinese e-commerce sellers.[2](https://www.caixinglobal.com/2024-10-24/chinese-couriers-ride-the-e-commerce-boom-for-middle-east-expansion-102248749.html) Despite R&D centers in China and Poland, it does not provide delivery services within China.[2](https://www.caixinglobal.com/2024-10-24/chinese-couriers-ride-the-e-commerce-boom-for-middle-east-expansion-102248749.html) Early clients included Amazon, Noon, Mumzworld, Shein, and Club Factory.[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/dubai-start-up-imile-to-open-regional-research-centre-as-it-raises-10m-1.986136)
**Technology in-house.** About 98% of iMile's technology is developed in-house; by mid-2022 the engineering team comprised 120 full-time China-based engineers.[11](https://www.ft.com/content/bc3dee82-b2f9-436e-8cb6-65eee768b939?syn-25a6b1a6=1) At the time of the 2021 funding round the company reported 100 engineers in China.[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/imile-delivery-secures-40-million-bridging-chinese-sellers-to-emerging-markets-301433563.html)
iMile addresses cash-on-delivery challenges with a product matrix it calls "1+5+X", covering cross-border direct delivery, time-sensitive express, large-item transport, returns, and customs clearance.[9](https://www.itiger.com/news/1194405772) In late 2023 the company added a full-chain logistics suite spanning domestic delivery with returns, time-definite express, customs clearance, cross-border direct mail, and heavy-goods freight.[8](https://kr-asia.com/how-imile-cracked-mexicos-logistics-and-what-it-means-for-global-e-commerce)
## Funding, ownership and valuation
iMile raised $10 million in pre-Series A funding in early 2020, led by an unnamed China-based venture capital firm focused on logistics.[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/dubai-start-up-imile-to-open-regional-research-centre-as-it-raises-10m-1.986136) In November 2021 it announced a $40 million Series A at a $350 million valuation, described in its own announcement as the largest [Series A round](https://www.edgepedia.org/series-a-round) by a woman in the region.[1](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/imile-delivery-secures-40-million-bridging-chinese-sellers-to-emerging-markets-301433563.html) Bloomberg reported that ByteDance committed around $10 million of that round at a lower valuation.[3](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-30/bytedance-backs-dubai-startup-building-logistics-chain-to-china) In August 2022 the company closed a $30 million Series B led by China-based Qiming Venture Partners.[5](https://mena.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/entrepreneur-middle-easts-achieving-women-2023-rita/467089)
**Profitability.** iMile was profitable after its first year, according to Huang in a 2019 interview.[12](https://www.wamda.com/2019/12/conversation-rita-huangzhen-imile) At the 2020 raise the company said it was already breaking even with some profitable quarters and had seen a near tenfold year-on-year increase in new bookings.[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/dubai-start-up-imile-to-open-regional-research-centre-as-it-raises-10m-1.986136) By mid-2022 revenues had tripled since the previous November, and Huang said the company was on the verge of becoming the region's first female-founded unicorn.[11](https://www.ft.com/content/bc3dee82-b2f9-436e-8cb6-65eee768b939?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
## By the numbers
Workforce figures vary by definition and date. In 2020 iMile had around 700 employees across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and China, nearly 40% of them engineers.[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/dubai-start-up-imile-to-open-regional-research-centre-as-it-raises-10m-1.986136) An earlier-stage figure counted over 1,500 staff and over 5,000 drivers across 14 countries.[14](https://yourstory.com/ys-gulf/alibaba-former-regional-cto-transforming-logistics-mena-imile-delivery) For 2025, KrASIA reports nearly 4,000 employees excluding warehouse operators, drivers, and contractors,[8](https://kr-asia.com/how-imile-cracked-mexicos-logistics-and-what-it-means-for-global-e-commerce) Tiger Brokers reports over 2,000 employees as of October 2025,[9](https://www.itiger.com/news/1194405772) Forbes Middle East reports Huang oversees more than 3,000 people,[10](https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/100-most-powerful-businesswomen-2025/rita-huang-zhen/) and the company's own site claims a workforce of over 20,000 people.[4](https://www.imile.com/RS-en/AboutUs/)
The market denominator is large and growing: between 2019 and 2024 Middle East express parcel volume grew at about a 23% compound annual rate, reaching 570 million parcels in 2024.[9](https://www.itiger.com/news/1194405772)
## Competitive position: Aramex, Fetchr and J&T Express
Chinese logistics entrants have taken a large share of Gulf express volume. Firms including iMile, [J&T Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/j-and-t-express), Cainiao, Zongteng, and JD Logistics have collectively captured over 40% of the Middle East express market, while incumbents such as [Aramex](https://www.edgepedia.org/aramex) and the national posts hold around 40%.[9](https://www.itiger.com/news/1194405772) J&T Express, founded in Southeast Asia by Li Jie in 2015, expanded rapidly into the Middle East, positioning iMile and J&T as the leaders among Chinese logistics firms in the region.[2](https://www.caixinglobal.com/2024-10-24/chinese-couriers-ride-the-e-commerce-boom-for-middle-east-expansion-102248749.html)
The established players moved in opposite directions. Aramex, founded in Jordan in 1982, came under the control of [Abu Dhabi](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-dhabi) sovereign fund ADQ in 2025 and handles roughly 350,000 to 400,000 parcels daily at a gross margin of 20 to 25%.[9](https://www.itiger.com/news/1194405772) Fetchr, a Dubai-based delivery startup that also targeted Chinese e-commerce clients, was reportedly at risk of liquidation after becoming insolvent over a disputed unpaid Saudi Arabia tax bill.[13](https://forbesmiddleeast.com/industry/transport/dubai-based-logistics-startup-imile-delivery-bags-%2440m-series-a-financing-round)
## Recent developments
Between 2023 and 2024 iMile expanded into eight new countries.[10](https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/100-most-powerful-businesswomen-2025/rita-huang-zhen/) By October 2024 it operated in eight Middle Eastern countries plus Mexico and Brazil, having added five countries by 2023 including Turkey and Italy.[2](https://www.caixinglobal.com/2024-10-24/chinese-couriers-ride-the-e-commerce-boom-for-middle-east-expansion-102248749.html)
**Mexico franchise.** In late 2023 iMile introduced a franchise model in Mexico on top of its self-operated base, citing high driver turnover and strike risks. Coverage in Mexico rose from under 60% in 2023 to more than 95%, service sites grew fivefold, average delivery time improved 25% year on year, and more than 90% of parcels were delivered within six days.[8](https://kr-asia.com/how-imile-cracked-mexicos-logistics-and-what-it-means-for-global-e-commerce) By 2025 the company reported a 30-country network with more than 95% coverage in key Latin American markets such as Mexico and Brazil, and Huang set a target of covering 100 countries within five years.[8](https://kr-asia.com/how-imile-cracked-mexicos-logistics-and-what-it-means-for-global-e-commerce)
Recognition followed the growth. Forbes Middle East ranked Huang 51st on its 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2025 list;[10](https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/100-most-powerful-businesswomen-2025/rita-huang-zhen/) Entrepreneur Middle East had included her in its Achieving Women 2023 list, where she said iMile had brought in over 20,000 jobs.[5](https://mena.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/entrepreneur-middle-easts-achieving-women-2023-rita/467089)
## References
1. [iMile Delivery Secures $40 Million Bridging Chinese Sellers to Emerging Markets, PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/imile-delivery-secures-40-million-bridging-chinese-sellers-to-emerging-markets-301433563.html)
2. [Chinese Couriers Ride the E-Commerce Boom for Middle East Expansion, Caixin Global](https://www.caixinglobal.com/2024-10-24/chinese-couriers-ride-the-e-commerce-boom-for-middle-east-expansion-102248749.html)
3. [ByteDance Backs Dubai Startup iMile Delivery Building Logistics Chain to China, Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-30/bytedance-backs-dubai-startup-building-logistics-chain-to-china)
4. [Message from CEO's Desk, iMile About Us](https://www.imile.com/RS-en/AboutUs/)
5. [Entrepreneur Middle East's Achieving Women 2023: Rita Huang](https://mena.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/entrepreneur-middle-easts-achieving-women-2023-rita/467089)
6. [Money & Me: 'I like to invest in my mind rather than buy fancy things', The National](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/money-me-i-like-to-invest-in-my-mind-rather-than-buy-fancy-things-1.1238050)
7. [Dubai start-up iMile to open regional research centre as it raises $10m, The National](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/dubai-start-up-imile-to-open-regional-research-centre-as-it-raises-10m-1.986136)
8. [How iMile cracked Mexico's logistics, and what it means for global e-commerce, KrASIA](https://kr-asia.com/how-imile-cracked-mexicos-logistics-and-what-it-means-for-global-e-commerce)
9. [Middle East Emerging as Key Growth Engine for Chinese Logistics Firms' Global Expansion, Tiger Brokers](https://www.itiger.com/news/1194405772)
10. [Rita Huang Zhen, 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen 2025, Forbes Middle East](https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/100-most-powerful-businesswomen-2025/rita-huang-zhen/)
11. [Breaking the glass ceiling in the Middle East, Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/bc3dee82-b2f9-436e-8cb6-65eee768b939?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
12. [In conversation with Rita Huangzhen of iMile, Wamda](https://www.wamda.com/2019/12/conversation-rita-huangzhen-imile)
13. [Dubai-Based Logistics Startup iMile Delivery Raises $40M In Latest Funding Round, Forbes Middle East](https://forbesmiddleeast.com/industry/transport/dubai-based-logistics-startup-imile-delivery-bags-%2440m-series-a-financing-round)
14. [How Alibaba's former regional CTO is helping transform logistics in MENA with iMile Delivery, YourStory](https://yourstory.com/ys-gulf/alibaba-former-regional-cto-transforming-logistics-mena-imile-delivery)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Founders, operators, and investors › Technology founders and companies › Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America technology › Israel, Arab world, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan technology › UAE and Gulf technology founders and companies*
*Initially written Sep 19, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 19, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license