After a turbulent 2016, during which 12 per cent was wiped off Baidu Inc’s market value, founder Robin Li needs all the help he can get to put the dominant search engine operator in the world’s largest internet market back on track. During the past four weeks Li has rehired Melissa Ma, his wife and lifelong business partner, and poached at least three executives from Microsoft, Xiaomi and a Chinese local startup to join his senior management team, underscoring the company’s push to regain its traction after an advertising scandal in May destroyed consumer confidence and provoked a rare rebuke from the Chinese government.