Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, New Empire Corp

Bentley Zhao is the Chairman & CEO of New Empire Corp., a New York City-based development and construction management firm. Since becoming CEO in 2004, Zhao has transformed New Empire into a leader in the NYC real estate market, overseeing the completion of over 120 projects, including condominiums, hotels, and mixed-use properties, adding over 2,000 units to its portfolio.

Under Zhao’s leadership, New Empire handles every aspect of real estate development—from property sourcing to unit marketing—ensuring efficient, high-quality results. With a background in architecture from CUNY New York City College of Technology, Zhao is dedicated to delivering innovative designs and value.

Zhao is also a committed community leader, with a focus on education and sustainable city initiatives. He serves on the Board of Directors for Sing Tao Daily USA, is an Honorary Professor at Huali College, and founded the Asian Commercial Real Estate Association to promote housing attainability and diversity in real estate leadership. During the pandemic, Zhao made significant contributions to local hospitals and charities, earning recognition from the America-China Hotel Association.

He has been honored with numerous awards, including Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business and recognition as an Outstanding Business Leader by the New York State Assembly.

Professional Recognition​

• 2016 New York State Government Evaluates New Empire Corp. as An Outstanding Company
• 2016 World Jiangmen Youth Conference Top Ten Outstanding Youth Awards
• 2016 Best Businessman of the Year: Brooklyn, NY
• 2017 New York State Government Endorses New Empire Corp.
• 2017 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business
• 2017 Outstanding Citizen of Brooklyn Community
• 2017 Enhancement to the Business Community of NEC
• 2017 Outstanding Business Leadership Award
• 2018 Star Under 40 Awards & Networking Event
• 2018 President Award: Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2019 The Stars & Stripes Democratic Organization Community Service Award and Honoree
• 2020 N.Y. City Council – Citation
• 2020 Certificate of Congressional Recognition, U.S. Congressman Max Rose
• 2022 Crain’s New York Business Notable Leaders in Real Estate
• 2022 CACP Outstanding Award
• 2023 NY Republican State Committee, American Dream Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2024 New York Commercial Real Estate RED Award for Most Active Developer of the Year

Professional Affiliation

• President of the Chinese American Construction Professionals (CACP) New York Chapter
• Honorary Professor of Huali College, Guangdong University of Technology  (01756.HK)
• Executive Vice President of Youth Association in Jiangmen, China
• Executive Vice President of AMERICA HOTEL OWNERS CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION
• President of Real Estate Department of AMERICA HOTEL OWNERS CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION
• Vice-President of New York, Guangdong Overseas Chinese Association
• Board Director of Sing Tao Daily USA  (01105.HK)
• Candidate for the Board of Directors at NYC Development Corp.
• ​FORUM FOR WORLD EDUCATION (FWE) member of committee and young leader