Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, has assumed her role as the rotating chairperson of Huawei Technologies for the next six months, replacing Eric Xu.
Meng Wanzhou, 52, will concurrently serve as the company’s chief financial officer, continuing her long-standing leadership within the company.
Meng Wanzhou’s tenure comes at a pivotal time for Huawei as it competes directly with Apple in the global smartphone market. Both companies recently launched flagship products on the same day in September, with Huawei unveiling its premium tri-fold smartphone priced at $2,800, challenging Apple’s latest releases.
Meng Wanzhou’s career at Huawei began in 1993, and she has held several critical positions, including CFO of Huawei Hong Kong and president of the Accounting Management Department. Notably, she spearheaded Huawei’s Integrated Financial Services (IFS) Transformation Program and led the company’s data management initiatives. Since 2019, Meng has been central to Huawei’s digital finance transformation, focusing on risk control models and AI-driven operations.
Her leadership comes after being entangled in a legal drama with the U.S. government, following her detention in Canada in 2018. Meng Wanzhou was accused of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran but was released in 2021 after reaching an agreement with U.S. prosecutors.
Meng Wanzhou, as rotating chairperson, will oversee Huawei’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee until March 31, 2025, guiding the company through its next phase of innovation and global competition. Huawei is still dominating the telecom equipment market despite sanctions by the United States.