Great Wall shakes up management amid sales slump
Great Wall Motor Co., China's largest SUV maker, replaced three of its executives amid a sales slump.
The company replaced Kang Guowang, previously in charge of domestic sales; Xing Wenlin, who oversaw international sales; and Liang Xinlu, previously in charge of components procurement, according to the Baoding-based automaker, which didn't specify what positions they were moved to.
The company said the changes were part of a normal rotation of management and weren't related to sales results.
The reshuffle comes after the company posted sales declines in five of the past six months. The company also has twice delayed the introduction of its key model, the Haval H8 SUV. Last month, Great Wall said it will hold off on sales of the vehicle until it is able to make the H8 of a "premium standard."
"The market will keep speculating whether the executives were demoted or not," said Cao He, a Beijing-based analyst with Minzu Securities Co. "Great Wall is facing the most difficult time it ever had with the delay of its H8 SUV and sluggish sales of its car models."
The company also said Monday that it hired more than 9,000 new employees in the first half of this year.
Sohu.com reported on the management changes on June 20, without saying where it got the information.
The company said the changes were part of a normal rotation of management and weren't related to sales results.
The reshuffle comes after the company posted sales declines in five of the past six months. The company also has twice delayed the introduction of its key model, the Haval H8 SUV. Last month, Great Wall said it will hold off on sales of the vehicle until it is able to make the H8 of a "premium standard."
"The market will keep speculating whether the executives were demoted or not," said Cao He, a Beijing-based analyst with Minzu Securities Co. "Great Wall is facing the most difficult time it ever had with the delay of its H8 SUV and sluggish sales of its car models."
The company also said Monday that it hired more than 9,000 new employees in the first half of this year.
Sohu.com reported on the management changes on June 20, without saying where it got the information.
