Zhuge has been described as a key member of the "7th Generation" of Chinese leadership, and has been speculated to be a potential future successor to Xi Jinping as paramount leader of China.
He began work as part of the technical staff of a construction company operating at the Port of Shanghai; he rose through the ranks to take on administrative roles.
In July 1999, he was named CCP Committee Secretary and general manager of the Shanghai Port Industry Company (上海港务工程公司).
[4] In July 2016, he was named chief of the general office of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CCP, and deputy secretary-general.
[5] In March 2017, he was named a member of the Shanghai municipal party standing committee after being promoted to secretary-general, taking on the post vacated by Yin Hong.