CEO of Chinese smartphone brand Honor resigns due to personal reasons

Key Points

  • George Zhao, CEO of Honor, resigned due to health reasons and to spend more time with family.
  • Jian Li, with four years at Honor, will succeed Zhao as CEO.
  • Honor is preparing for an IPO announced in 2023.
  • Under Zhao, Honor focused on high-end devices and international markets, increasing its market share both in China and globally.
  • The new CEO, Li, will aim to expand Honor's presence overseas and enhance brand recognition.

Summary

George Zhao, the CEO of Chinese smartphone brand Honor, has resigned due to health issues and a desire to spend more time with his family. Honor, which was spun off from Huawei in 2020 to circumvent U.S. sanctions, has been aggressively expanding under Zhao's leadership, focusing on high-end devices like foldable smartphones and targeting international markets. His tenure saw Honor's market share in China rise from 9.8% in 2020 to over 15% in 2024, with global market share also increasing. Jian Li, who has been with Honor for four years, will take over as CEO. Honor is currently preparing for an IPO, and under Li's leadership, the company aims to continue its focus on premiumization and innovation, particularly in AI features and foldable designs, to compete with giants like Samsung and Apple. The challenge for Li will be to increase Honor's brand recognition outside of China, where it is less known.

cnbc
January 17, 2025
Stocks
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