Chen Hao was born in February 1954 in Haimen, Jiangsu province, and worked as a schoolteacher in Haimen from 1973 to 1977. He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in June 1976.[2]
From 1979 to 1983 he worked at a fruit company in Jing'an District, Shanghai. From 1980 to 1984 he studied at Jiang'an Part-time University, majoring in Chinese literature. Starting in 1983, he worked at the Jiang'an District government, becoming CCP Deputy Committee Secretary of the district in 1996. From 1989 to 1991 he enrolled at the graduate school of East China Normal University, studying economics.[2]
In 1997, he entered the municipal government of Shanghai. In 2003, he obtained an MBA degree from China Europe International Business School. From 2003 to 2010 he served as vice-chairman of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, and chairman of the Shanghai General Trade Union. In 2011 he became vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.[2]