Chinese automaker Chery has announced a senior management reshuffle aimed at accelerating its global expansion. According to Sina Auto, Zhang Guozhong, who previously oversaw daily operations at Chery Automobile, has been appointed executive vice president of Chery Holding Group, while Zhang Guibing, a veteran of the company's international business, takes over as executive vice president of Chery Automobile. The changes were announced on September 23.
Chery said the move is part of its "globalisation 3.0" strategy, which shifts the company's overseas approach from merely exporting vehicles to embedding its entire ecosystem—manufacturing, services, operations, and partnerships—into local markets. The strategy builds on the principle of "In somewhere, For somewhere" and adds a new focus on "Be somewhere," meaning Chery aims to become a true local player in each market it enters.
New roles, new focus
Zhang Guozhong's new role at the holding group will involve integrating financial, trade, and diversified industrial resources across the "Greater Chery" structure to support the globalisation push. Zhang Guibing, who has deep experience in international markets, will coordinate the implementation of the globalisation strategy from a global perspective at Chery Automobile.
The reshuffle is seen as a strategic step to strengthen coordination and resource allocation across the group, according to Sina Auto. Chery has been expanding aggressively overseas, with a presence in markets including the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, where it sells both BEVs (battery-electric vehicles) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrids).
Chery's globalisation 3.0 strategy marks a shift from simple product exports to a more comprehensive approach that includes local manufacturing and service networks. This aligns with broader trends among Chinese automakers, which are increasingly looking to build local footprints to navigate tariffs and other trade barriers.
The company has not disclosed specific financial targets or market plans tied to the management changes. However, the appointment of executives with strong international backgrounds signals Chery's commitment to deepening its overseas operations.
