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(Lu Xiao. Image from SAIC-GM official website)

Our reporter Xia Zhibin and Shi Yingjing report from Shanghai

SAIC-GM has a new leader. SAIC-GM announced that, according to the decision of the Party Committee of SAIC Group (600104.SH), Lu Xiao, former Executive Vice President of Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, will replace Zhuang Jingxiong as the General Manager of SAIC-GM.

A reporter from China Business News learned that Zhuang Jingxiong replaced Wang Yongqing as the company's general manager from the position of deputy general manager of SAIC-GM in May 2023. From May 2023 to August 2024, Zhuang Jingxiong served for a total of 14 months.

In addition, Wang Conghe, former deputy general manager of Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, took over the position of executive deputy general manager of Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center. Cai Bin, former assistant to the president of SAIC Group, rejoined SAIC-GM and served as the party secretary of SAIC-GM. At the same time, Xue Haitao, former deputy general manager of SAIC-GM-Wuling, replaced Lu Yi as the company's deputy general manager, responsible for marketing-related work.

The reporter noted that regarding the above personnel changes, SAIC-GM said in a public release: "With the full support of both shareholders, the new leadership team will continue to accelerate the company's transformation in the electrification and intelligent track, focus on innovative breakthroughs in technology, products and marketing, face fierce market competition, and open a new chapter in the company's future development."

Zhuang Jingxiong has been at the helm for 14 months

"Due to work needs, Wang Yongqing, the former general manager of SAIC-GM, will be transferred to the position of deputy chief economist of SAIC Group effective immediately; Zhuang Jingxiong, the former deputy general manager of SAIC-GM, will be transferred to the position of general manager of SAIC-GM." Back to May 12, 2023, SAIC-GM announced a personnel change news, marking that SAIC-GM has officially entered the era of Zhuang Jingxiong at the helm.

For SAIC-GM, Zhuang Jingxiong is considered a veteran of the company because he participated in the establishment of the company. In the personnel change news released this time, SAIC-GM also stated: "As a 'veteran' of SAIC-GM, Zhuang Jingxiong participated in the establishment of SAIC-GM and served as a leader in many important positions in the company."

In 2019, Zhuang Jingxiong was transferred to SAIC Group, where he served as deputy director and director of the SAIC Group President's Office, and general manager of the Group's Quality and Economic Operation Department. In 2021, he became the CEO of Shanghai Sai Ke Mobility Technology Service Co., Ltd. In November 2022, he joined SAIC General Motors again as the company's deputy general manager and general manager of SAIC General Motors Sales Co., Ltd.

SAIC-GM said: "In 2022, when SAIC-GM is in a critical period of accelerating its transformation towards electrification and intelligent networking, Zhuang Jingxiong returned again and led the company to actively respond to challenges such as industrial transformation, technological iteration and corporate transformation pains, and continued to exert efforts in new and old tracks and achieved many results. In the past two years, the strength of SAIC-GM's new energy products has been significantly enhanced, the lineup of models of the Autoneng intelligent electric platform has continued to grow, and the new generation of PHEV intelligent electric plug-in hybrid system has helped the models and products gain dual recognition from the market and word of mouth. In addition, under the promotion of Zhuang Jingxiong, SAIC-GM was the first among joint venture automakers to establish a 'Software and Digitalization Center' serving the Chinese market, providing powerful empowerment for the rapid development, implementation and iteration of smart cabins and intelligent driving technologies."

From the performance of new energy vehicles, Zhuang Jingxiong led SAIC-GM to achieve relatively impressive results in 2023. In 2023, SAIC-GM's new energy vehicle sales reached 100,000 units for the first time, a year-on-year increase of 104%, setting a historical record. Among them, SAIC-GM's monthly delivery of new energy vehicles in July 2023 exceeded 10,000 units for the first time, reaching 10,017 units.

In addition, SAIC-GM is also continuously increasing its multi-dimensional layout in the field of new energy vehicles. During Zhuang Jingxiong's tenure, SAIC-GM's third Autoneng Super Factory (Yantai Dongyue) started construction. It is reported that this is a major move by SAIC-GM to respond to SAIC Group's "Three-Year Action Plan for the Development of New Energy Vehicles" and improve the manufacturing capabilities of new energy core components.

The reporter learned that as one of SAIC-GM's key projects with an investment of 70 billion yuan in the field of electrification and intelligent networking new technologies, the Dongyue Autonen Super Factory is scheduled to be officially put into mass production in the first half of 2025. Like the other two Autonen Super Factories, it has high-precision processing and assembly technology, high-standard quality control management, and highly flexible co-line production capabilities.

In addition to improving its own manufacturing capabilities, during Zhuang Jingxiong's tenure, SAIC-GM also actively cooperated with other automakers to expand its energy replenishment "circle of friends". In November 2023, SAIC-GM and Tesla China started cooperation on charging network interconnection.

It is expected that starting from the end of 2023, owners of Cadillac and Buick Automotive pure electric models under SAIC-GM will be able to log in to the brand's related apps and use the charging map function to charge at Tesla's Supercharging Stations and destination charging stations open to some non-Tesla vehicles, and easily enjoy one-stop comprehensive charging services including charging station search, navigation, charging, and payment.

Then in April 2024, SAIC-GM joined hands with NIO to expand the energy replenishment "circle of friends" again. The reporter learned that by then there will be more than 10,000 NIO charging terminals joining the SAIC-GM Autoenergy energy replenishment cooperation network.

In July this year, the last full month of Zhuang Jingxiong's tenure, SAIC-GM's retail sales of new energy vehicles reached 7,901 units, up 27% from the previous month. In the first seven months, SAIC-GM's cumulative retail sales reached 50,006 units, up 41.6% from the previous year.

Regarding the company's performance, Zhang Xiang, a visiting professor at the Yellow River Science and Technology College, said: "From the current sales data, SAIC-GM's new energy vehicle sales are still not high, but fortunately they are still improving. What SAIC-GM needs to do now is to maintain the basic market of fuel vehicles while continuing to increase its layout in the fields of electrification and intelligence, create popular products, and increase sales."

Welcome a technical leader

When SAIC-GM was first established, China and the United States also jointly established the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, creating a precedent for multinational automakers to establish automotive R&D centers in China. The Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center has now grown into a technology giant for domestic automakers.

The reporter noticed that the new head of SAIC-GM, Lu Xiao, is a senior executive who grew up from the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center. As early as 1997, Lu Xiao joined the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center and served in important positions such as chief engineer of mid-sized vehicle platform, executive director of project management, deputy general manager and executive deputy general manager of the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center. He led the research and development of important models such as Buick Regal, LaCrosse, and Chevrolet Malibu, and became the first Chinese chief engineer in GM's global platform.

Regarding the company's new general manager Lu Xiao, SAIC-GM said in a public release: "With his profound accumulation in the field of automotive technology, deep understanding of the Chinese market and consumer needs, and excellent leadership, Lu Xiao will lead SAIC-GM to move forward towards the corporate vision of 'leading smart mobility and achieving a better life'."

Regarding the considerations behind the personnel changes at SAIC-GM, Zhang Xiang told reporters that it was mainly to improve the overall competitiveness of the company in the era of new energy vehicles. "SAIC-GM is a well-known domestic joint venture automaker. In the era of fuel vehicles, SAIC-GM's sales were at the forefront of the industry, but in the era of new energy vehicles, joint venture automakers are lagging behind."

"The competition in the automotive industry is not just limited to the electrification level. There is also a hundred schools of thought in the intelligent level. Judging from the work experience of the new general manager of SAIC-GM, Lu Xiao is an absolute technical 'leader' who has led the research and development of some important models of Buick and Chevrolet and has a good understanding of the needs of Chinese consumers." Zhang Xiang added.

The reporter learned that in the investor relations activity record sheet from April to July 2024 released by SAIC Group on August 2, an investor asked: "How does the company deal with the current development difficulties of joint venture brands?" SAIC Group responded that SAIC Group is fully committed to developing a new generation of smart electric vehicles. It leads the industry in intelligent innovative technologies and has successfully launched seven major technology bases. It is looking to the future to create a new technological life form with a "strong heart, a strong body, and a smart brain", and will provide technical empowerment for the group's brands.

In addition to welcoming a technical leader, SAIC-GM also welcomed a new marketing veteran. It is understood that Xue Haitao, former deputy general manager of SAIC-GM-Wuling, replaced Lu Yi as the company's deputy general manager, responsible for marketing-related work.

SAIC-GM said that Lu Yi joined SAIC-GM in 1999, was transferred to SAIC Group in 2012, and returned to SAIC-GM as the company's deputy general manager in 2023. "During his tenure, he led SAIC-GM to vigorously promote marketing reforms, build a digital marketing closed loop covering all channels online and offline, and empower terminal sales. From January to July 2024, SAIC-GM's cumulative retail sales of new energy vehicles exceeded 50,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 42%; the terminal demand for the new GL8 Lu Zun PHEV has remained enthusiastic since its delivery, and the Buick GL8 family has topped the MPV weekly sales list for many consecutive weeks."

Xue Haitao, the new deputy general manager of SAIC-GM, has worked at SAIC-GM-Wuling for a long time and has rich marketing experience. In 2007, Xue Haitao joined SAIC-GM-Wuling and served as the administrative and public relations director of SAIC-GM-Wuling, the marketing and network director of the sales company, the deputy general manager of the sales company, the general manager of the sales company, and the deputy general manager of SAIC-GM-Wuling.

Regarding the company's new deputy general manager Xue Haitao, SAIC-GM said that as a young automotive marketer, he has been deeply involved in the front line of automotive marketing for many years. He not only created popular models such as Hongguang MINIEV and Wuling Bingo and multiple new energy technology brands, realizing the new energy transformation of the Wuling brand, but also promoted the expansion of SAIC-GM-Wuling's overseas business. He has unique insights and rich practical experience in public relations, marketing, and distribution network layout.

Regarding Xue Haitao's transfer from SAIC-GM-Wuling to SAIC-GM's deputy general manager, responsible for marketing-related work, Zhang Xiang said that SAIC-GM-Wuling's marketing has been very successful in recent years, and Xue Haitao's contribution is indispensable. "In the current fully competitive market environment, on the basis of competitive products, companies need to learn to tell good stories and do good marketing. In simple terms, they need to do well and speak well. This personnel change shows SAIC-GM's intention."

(Editor: Shi Yingjing Reviewer: Tong Haihua Proofreader: Zhai Jun)