Lotus changes leadership, Geely's Feng Qingfeng to become CEO

According to Automotive News Europe on June 4, Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales has stepped down and will be replaced by Feng Qingfeng, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Geely Auto Group. Gales will serve as CEO of JD Classics, a British classic car dealer. It is reported that Lotus Cars has been unable to make a profit for many years due to insufficient investment. Gales has been committed to turning the situation around since he became the company's CEO in 2014. To this end, he laid off a quarter of the company's employees and reduced the company's supplier costs. Finally, in 2017, Lotus turned losses into profits and achieved its first profit. Gales recently announced that Lotus plans to launch a product offensive, including its first SUV and a series of upgraded sports cars, for which the company will recruit again.

Li Donghui, chief financial officer of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and chairman of Lotus, said in a statement that Gales will serve as its chief strategic advisor on a part-time basis. Previously, Gales also served as brand head of PSA Peugeot Citroen Group and global sales director of Mercedes-Benz.

In September 2017, Geely Holding Group acquired a 51% stake in Lotus Cars and promised to build it into a globally competitive brand to lead the sports car market. Lotus' sales last year increased from 1,232 in 2013 to 1,600, and Geely hopes that sales can increase to more than 10,000.

Feng Qingfeng, 45, is a member of the board of directors of both Lotus and Geely Lynk & Co. Foreign media pointed out that after he became the CEO of Lotus, the brand will be accelerated to introduce Geely technology, and it will also make it possible for Lotus and Volvo to share parts. Currently, Geely's London Electric Vehicle Company has adopted this strategy. All Lotus models currently use Toyota engines.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.