A CFO Salon sharing event was held on June 27, 2026, at Tims Coffee House on Jinshu Street in Beijing. The guest speaker was Tang Chun, CFO of 51Talk, who shared the company’s pivot from the “Double Reduction” policy shock to full overseas expansion, the CFO’s evolving role in globalization, and AI’s strategic application in education services.

From hardship to rebirth: Seizing the wave of service industry globalization

As a premier player in online English tutoring, 51Talk pioneered the one-on-one model featuring Filipino teachers. In 2016, it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), becoming the first Chinese EdTech company in its specific track to go public in the US.

Before the 2021 “Double Reduction” policy, the company boasted over 40,000 Filipino tutors, 400,000 active students, and a workforce of over 5,000. It achieved its first single-quarter profit in Q4 2019 and dual growth in scale and profitability in 2020.

However, the 2021 policy triggered a systemic industry shock. 51Talk saw a roughly 90 percent plunge in revenue and an 80 percent workforce reduction, alongside regulatory probes, massive refund pressures, and fund supervision. To preserve its listing status and meet compliance requirements, 51Talk spun off its domestic business and transferred to the NYSE American market in May 2023—becoming the first Chinese concept stock to maintain its listing qualification via market transfer.

In late 2022, leveraging thousands of overseas seed users, the listed entity launched its global push, riding the pandemic-boosted online learning demand to achieve initial growth. Tang attributed this turnaround to tapping into the "third wave of China's globalization dividend." She noted that after previously capitalizing on demographic and real estate dividends, China's current edge lies in the service sector. Domestic companies can deploy their mature digital infrastructure and operational expertise in supply-scarce, high-demand markets like Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Yet, Tang cautioned that going global is not entirely smooth sailing. Since cultural, regulatory, and business environments vary vastly, a "one-size-fits-all" model does not exist. While deploying veteran employees can kickstart early operations, localized management and building cross-cultural trust remain persistent hurdles for long-term growth.

The CFO's journey going global: Building systems, ensuring compliance, creating long-term value

Looking back at 51Talk’s global journey, Tang outlined the three evolutionary stages of a CFO's role, from hands-on execution to strategic stewardship.

Initially, a CFO must be entirely hands-on to build the foundational infrastructure. Early on, 51Talk struggled as localized financial hires failed to align with the company's pace and professional demands. Ultimately, the company set up a Beijing-based, specialized overseas finance team. The CFO had to personally navigate banking channels, third-party payments, cross-border taxation, and corporate structuring to ensure basic business continuity.

In the growth stage, systematic compliance becomes the top priority. Tang stressed that overseas compliance is a fundamental "zero-or-one" baseline constraint, as labor, tax, and commercial regulations are tightly interconnected across jurisdictions. A single misstep can jeopardize the entire corporate entity. She cited an instance where a local lawyer’s minor oversight nearly cost the company its operating license. Therefore, a CFO must establish standardized compliance rules to safeguard against critical risks without stifling business efficiency.

In the mature stage, the focus shifts to value stewardship and market capitalization management. Tracing 51Talk's stock recovery from a low of $1-$2 to a peak above $50, Tang emphasized that market capitalization management must be rooted in solid business fundamentals. The CFO's true calling is to manage operational risks and unlock performance value, rather than chasing short-term stock speculation. Market cap directly impacts both the company’s capital market image and employees' wealth, requiring a delicate balance between long-term value creation and short-term market expectations.

Breaking through in education services: Human teachers as the core differentiator, AI as an efficiency enabler

Currently, 51Talk targets one-on-one English training for children aged 5–12, deeply cultivating markets in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. It leverages AI recruitment technologies and exclusively selects highly qualified talent from top Philippine universities to guarantee teaching quality at a highly competitive cost. Tang stressed that the natural rapport and patience of Filipino tutors are uniquely suited for young learners. Features like "tutor favoriting" and "fixed scheduling" help build strong emotional connections, which Tang considers irreplaceable and the company’s ultimate competitive moat.

Regarding AI, Tang firmly advocated the principle that "AI empowers humanity." 51Talk has integrated global mainstream Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate evaluation reports, edit classroom highlight clips, and boost sales and operational efficiencies. In finance, AI handles repetitive tasks, allowing an incredibly streamlined team to operate efficiently. However, Tang insisted that technology serves teachers and teams, not vice versa. To unlock real commercial value, AI cannot remain a standalone tool; it must be deeply embedded into clearly defined business workflows for systematic optimization.

Looking forward, Tang noted that while 51Talk remains laser-focused on its core English tutoring track, it has already stockpiled product and technical capabilities for new categories like Chinese language education, currently piloted in Hong Kong. When conditions permit, the company will explore category and geographic expansion via an asset-light model. It will also launch offline experience clubs to deepen face-to-face connections with parents, enhancing user trust and localized brand resonance as it scales globally.

Q&A Session

Question 1: How are Filipino tutors received in overseas markets? Will the company adjust its tutor structure or venture into new areas such as Chinese language education?

Tang Chun: Filipino tutors are rigorously screened. With the aid of AI voice optimization, any accent concerns can be effectively resolved. Their natural rapport and patience make them highly suitable for younger demographics, leading to excellent market reception overseas. We will continuously optimize our tutor supply chain. Chinese language education is undoubtedly a promising direction. 51Talk has already launched fully-equipped Mandarin courses in Hong Kong. Currently, our resources are heavily focused on our core segment, but we will eventually explore these new categories via an asset-light model based on market conditions.

Question 2: What is the company's core competitive advantage compared with fully AI-driven education products? How do you balance the value contribution of AI versus human input?

Tang Chun: Education is not just knowledge transfer – it's about motivation and emotional connection, which human teachers uniquely provide. This is the irreplaceable value of a human teacher and 51Talk's core moat against purely AI-driven apps. We adhere to the philosophy that "AI empowers humanity." AI is an efficiency-boosting tool that serves our teachers, operations, and management teams. Our core values, strategic direction, and service quality will strictly remain human-led. This primary-secondary relationship will not flip.

Question 3: How should service industry companies going global handle the relationship between brand localization and their Chinese background? What tangible improvements has AI brought to financial work?

Tang Chun: In the early stages of going global, China's mature operational and technological prowess is a core product advantage, making the Chinese background a strong endorsement. However, as the business matures and deepens its local footprint, the brand must localize. It needs to align with the host country's culture and consumer cognition to gain profound market acceptance.

In the financial realm, AI efficiently handles standardized, repetitive tasks, ensuring smooth business operations even with a vastly streamlined team. Yet, to fully unleash AI’s potential, a CFO must first map out clear financial and operational workflows, embedding AI into specific nodes to transition from point-based enhancements to systematic optimization.