Geely Auto announces leadership changes as founder Eric Li steps down as chair

Eric Li, the visionary founder of Chinese automotive giant Geely Holding, is stepping down as the chairman of its primary subsidiary, Geely Auto. This significant management change is part of a long-term succession plan for the company.

Li, who established Geely four decades ago, will continue to lead Geely Holding Group as its chairman. The stock market filing indicated that his transition from Geely Auto will allow him to dedicate more attention to other business ventures. The leadership transition at Geely Auto will see executive director An Conghui assume the role of chairman, effective Tuesday. Simultaneously, executive director Gan Jiayue will be appointed as the new CEO of Geely Auto, replacing Gui Shengyue, who will move to the position of vice chairman.

Geely Auto expressed confidence in Gan Jiayue's leadership, stating in the filing that his extensive management experience and industry knowledge will be instrumental in guiding the group's operations and achieving its strategic objectives. This reshuffle comes at a critical juncture for Geely Holding, a major player in the world's largest auto market and a competitor to BYD. The company, which owns brands like Volvo Cars, Polestar, Zeekr, and Lynk & Co, faces fierce competition while simultaneously pursuing aggressive international expansion.

An Conghui outlined Geely Auto's ambitious long-term strategy, revealing plans to generate two-thirds of its total sales from overseas markets. This focus on global growth underscores the company's efforts to diversify its revenue streams and strengthen its position on the international automotive stage.

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The board believes that Gan’s extensive management experience and industry expertise will enable him to lead the Group’s operations effectively and support the execution of the Group’s long-term strategic objectives