Great Wall Motor (GWM) has selected Clyde Cheng as its newly-appointed president for GWM Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
The China-based carmaker now looks to Cheng to help increase the brand’s presence within the region and to enhance the company’s new energy vision.
“I am deeply honoured and excited to join GWM Asean. This appointment comes at an exciting time as we reinforce our xEV position and expand our presence within the region,” said Cheng.
“xEV” is the generic term for electromotive vehicles including hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles.
“Our goal is to further solidify our footprint in two additional countries, namely Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia, alongside our existing markets which are Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Brunei, and the Philippines,” he said.
Cheng added that with his GWM team, the company will look to leverage on its commitment to innovate and increase quality as well as customer satisfaction in order to help drive the brand to new heights by delivering exceptional products and experiences.
Cheng joined GWM in 2002 and held various executive roles before taking up the vice general manager and vice president role at Haval Russia in 2019. The company attributes its success and growth in Russia to Cheng, who managed to establish it as one of the company’s most prosperous global operations.
In February, Cheng returned to the company’s China headquarters and assumed the position of assistant chief growth officer (CGO) to help advance the group’s regional marketing direction in terms of network, user operation and insurance-related management.
As GWM Asean Thailand president as well, Cheng will utilise the Kingdom as a strategic xEV hub for sales and production.
“This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the dynamic automotive industry in Thailand and the broader ASEAN region,” he said.
Cheng added that Malaysia is another important newly-emerging xEV market that’s currently going through a “green transition” with high net-worth clients experienced since the launch of the Ora Goodcat electric vehicle (EV) in November 2023.
The company said it is proactively working together with the Malaysian government to encourage more people to embrace xEVs, not just through a diverse line-up of enhanced products, but by also putting more effort into building a healthier xEV ecosystem.
“With GWM’s strategic position as an xEV leader and favourable market conditions, Thailand offers immense potential for xEV market growth. GWM is committed to further strengthening its position as a leading automotive manufacturer and xEV leader, and I am confident that our innovative approach, user-centric philosophy, and dedication to excellence will drive our success in this thriving market,” concluded Cheng.