LinkedIn Interview with OKX: How a Web3 Technology Company Builds a Global Presence and Recruits Top Talent
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LinkedIn Interview with OKX: How a Web3 Technology Company Builds a Global Presence and Recruits Top Talent
Recently, LinkedIn conducted an exclusive interview with Cindy Zheng, HR Director at OKX, a leading global Web3 technology company.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsJohn Lee, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, speaking at the recently held "2023 Hong Kong Web3 Festival," stated that we are now in a golden era for Web3 development—an exhilarating and pivotal moment.
Web3 is a decentralized network ecosystem based on blockchain technology. It not only disrupts the traditional internet landscape but also drives transformation across the business world.
In this rapidly evolving field—where business expansion and talent competition are fiercest—how should leading Web3 companies expand globally and attract top-tier talent from diverse domains?
Recently, LinkedIn conducted an exclusive interview with Cindy Zheng, HRVP of OKX, a global leader in Web3 technology.
01 Uphold Principles, Stay True to Mission, and Adapt Strategically
Founded in 2017, OKX has grown into the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange and a leading Web3 ecosystem, operating in over 200 countries and regions with more than 3,000 employees worldwide.
Thanks to its strong corporate culture and outstanding employer branding, OKX has become a highly sought-after destination for global talent in an industry marked by talent scarcity. In LinkedIn's 2022 "MostIn" Global Attractiveness Rankings, OKX was recognized as a "Global Employer of Choice."
On the business front, OKX has established a solid technological foundation and clear strategic goals, expanding into key global markets and setting up local offices in hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong—regions widely regarded as centers of Asia’s Web3 innovation.
When discussing OKX’s experience in operating across diverse markets, Cindy emphasized that upholding core principles, staying true to mission, and understanding and adapting to local policies and cultures are essential for successful global expansion.
First, prioritize compliance and uphold底线 (bottom lines).
In the Web3 space, regulations and policy frameworks are critical. For OKX, the fundamental principle guiding all operations is compliance and legality.
Cindy stressed that OKX will never compromise on compliance or customer interests—even under pressure to capture market share or accelerate growth. Conducting regulated, compliant business remains a long-standing cornerstone of OKX’s strategy.
Of course, adhering to these principles presents real-world challenges. However, OKX chooses to explore alternative solutions—or even delay certain initiatives—to maintain strict compliance.
Knowing what to do—and what not to do—has enabled OKX to grow steadily amid complex external environments.
Second, stay true to mission and achieve goals.
OKX’s enduring mission has always been to put users first—a core driver behind its continuous growth. In pursuing business expansion, OKX adopts a proactive approach to achieve its strategic objectives. To date, it has secured leading positions in multiple markets globally.
In newly entered markets, OKX employs a “chase-the-leader” strategy to quickly gain market share.
Yet, according to Cindy, the most important aspect of competition isn’t focusing on external rivals—but looking inward and concentrating on self-improvement. “When a company strengthens its fundamentals, enhances user experience, and delivers exceptional products and services, market and user recognition will inevitably follow—it’s only a matter of time,” Cindy said.
Rather than fixating on how powerful or unbeatable competitors might be, companies should focus on building internal strengths.
Remember why you started, then move forward with unwavering focus—this is the mindset behind OKX’s successful global expansion.
Third, understand differences and adapt accordingly.
For any global enterprise, overcoming cultural and regional market differences is inherently challenging.
However, OKX views such differences as potential catalysts for entering new markets.
For example, Cindy observed that although Singapore’s population is predominantly ethnically Chinese, historical and educational differences have shaped distinct cultural traits compared to Hong Kong. Singapore’s education system is highly Westernized, resulting in a more open-minded and expressive workforce with fewer cultural constraints. In Singapore’s workplace, the most effective communication style is direct and transparent—clearly conveying goals and expectations to colleagues.
From a market perspective, Singapore is also a highly rule-of-law society that places great emphasis on compliance. To operate successfully there, businesses must prioritize legal and regulatory adherence. Once trust is earned from regulators and the market, companies often receive significant support that accelerates growth.
Expanding internationally requires moving beyond stereotypes and truly understanding local cultures and markets—respecting differences and adapting strategies accordingly.
02 Focus Internally, Act Proactively, and Attract Global Talent
The “thrilling” nature of Web3 development that John Lee referred to is most evident in the fierce competition for talent.
The "2022 Global Blockchain Talent Report – Web 3.0 Edition," released in August last year, revealed that blockchain job postings in the top ten blockchain talent countries—including the U.S., China, India, the U.K., Singapore, and Canada—have grown exponentially, reflecting extremely strong demand.
According to Cindy, OKX’s global talent strategy remains rooted in internal strength while taking proactive action.
1) Product excellence is the foundation for survival and talent attraction
Although many view OKX as a financial platform, the company defines itself as a high-tech firm.
Cindy emphasized that solid technical and product foundations, coupled with superior user experiences and contributions to the healthy development of the broader Web3 industry, remain central to OKX’s strategic vision.
OKX consistently invests heavily in building a world-class R&D team. After years of effort, its product innovation and technical stability have earned the trust of over 50 million users globally. This proves that OKX leverages top-tier R&D capabilities to deliver stable, convenient, and efficient products—earning user trust and capturing market share.
This marks a crucial step in attracting global talent: gaining recognition and commitment from like-minded, top-tier professionals.
2) Unite talent through corporate culture and vision
In the fast-moving Web3 sector, talent faces abundant opportunities and distractions. While competitive compensation and a positive work environment are important, Cindy believes that company vision and culture are ultimately more critical for attracting and retaining talent.
At OKX, cultivating corporate culture is a core HR responsibility. Dedicated teams continuously evolve the culture in line with different stages of company growth—for instance, by organizing events to foster transparent communication, or implementing talent lifecycle management and governance systems to ensure cultural consistency and vitality, enabling top talent to attract more top talent. “Only a sense of mission and achievement can truly attract and retain people,” Cindy admitted.
As reflected in Cindy’s own journey, she—a seasoned executive from major internet firms—was initially drawn to OKX by the CEO’s vision and conviction. Over five years, she continues to find her work full of challenge and freshness, driven by purpose and resilience through uncertainties. This deep sense of value and growing accomplishment has become the most inseparable part of her bond with OKX.
3) Effective employer branding multiplies recruitment success
In LinkedIn’s recently released “2023 Future of Recruiting Report,” the importance of employer branding has been elevated to new heights.
Click the image below to download the “2023 Future of Recruiting Report” for free
In Cindy’s view, precise and effective employer branding significantly amplifies global talent acquisition. The most direct way to achieve this is by leveraging the right platforms and media.
Through its collaboration with LinkedIn, OKX gains timely insights into global talent trends and candidate expectations from LinkedIn’s extensive talent reports. By aligning these insights with its own industry positioning and needs, OKX has precisely defined its target talent profiles.
At the same time, OKX has enhanced its employer branding presence and content on LinkedIn, clearly showcasing compelling and authentic employer value propositions to targeted audiences. As a result, OKX’s visibility and appeal in the global talent market have significantly increased.
03 An Advanced Organization Built on the “OK Basic Principle” Enables Efficient Global Collaboration
OKX achieves efficient global coordination and management through the following approaches:
1) Build an advanced organization to support business growth
In a linear-growth industry, even “learning through trial and error” can feel like a luxury.
Cindy noted that OKX’s management model and organizational structure have evolved iteratively alongside rapid business changes—posing high demands on managers and HR alike. Organizational design serves corporate strategy: after defining phased business goals, the company adjusts its structure accordingly and continuously upgrades it strategically to maximize functional impact, enhance employee purpose and ownership, enable efficient global collaboration, and ultimately drive business success.
For example, several years ago, OKX adopted a decentralized management philosophy to build its global teams. Under this decentralized model, collaboration becomes simpler, each department and role has clear objectives, and effective organizational linkages significantly shorten decision-making cycles while improving operational and collaborative efficiency.
2) Continuously stimulate organizational self-evolution to empower the right people to do the right things
Decentralization lies at the heart of Web3, and OKX applies decentralized management principles across its global teams. According to Cindy, people are the most critical element—they carry out every decision and action. Through effective performance evaluation systems, OKX has established a genuine meritocracy where “the capable rise, the incapable step down”—now a shared belief within the company. This has helped OKX attract increasing numbers of “the right people,” making it possible to “empower the right people to do the right things.”
Cindy explained that a “talent clustering effect” has emerged as a key force driving organizational evolution. By establishing strategic architectures and empowering top talent, OKX has developed self-evolving organizational capabilities—providing robust support for rapid and efficient development.
3) Use the “OK Basic Principle” to ensure a unified management philosophy
Since its founding, OKX has gradually developed its own management philosophy, known internally as the “OK Basic Principle.”
The OK Basic Principle rests on three core tenets: Team First, Integrity Above All, and Overcoming Challenges. These principles guide everything from strategic decisions to talent promotion, ensuring consistency in management systems and corporate culture across all global operations.
“The implementation of the OK Basic Principle ensures the company stays true to its mission amid rapid growth. Today, it has become a banner guiding the company through turbulent waters,” Cindy revealed. “As the OK Basic Principle continues to evolve, OKX is becoming both more stable and more dynamic—thanks to the united efforts of the CEO and leaders at all levels.”
04 Final Thoughts
The "2022 Global Blockchain Talent Report – Web 3.0 Edition" highlights that short tenures and high turnover are common across the blockchain industry. Talent acquisition and management in this field are far more challenging than in most others.
To attract and retain Web3 talent, companies must go beyond creating fair and transparent evaluation mechanisms and efficient organizational structures. They must also possess solid technical capabilities, along with a distinctive corporate culture and employer brand.
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