Huawei’s consumer business group’s chief executive, Richard Yu Chengdong, has been assigned to oversee the company’s cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI). Hou Jinlong is currently handling the two business units.
After the official formalities are over, Mr Hou Jinlong will work in the company’s digital power service, a unit that deals with telecom network operators. Mr Richard Yu Chengdong is expected to handle the company’s business development in fields such as cloud computing, servers, AI-powered chips and storage.
Kitty Fok, managing director of tech research firm IDC China, told the media. “AI and cloud computing are the key growth areas in China over the next few years. Putting more focus and investments in AI and cloud computing is an important strategy for Huawei to capture future opportunities. Yu’s co-management of the consumer, cloud and AI businesses will enable Huawei to link up its front-end [smartphones, personal computers and other devices] with its back-end services [cloud and AI].”
Mr Richard Yu Chengdong joined Huawei in 1993. He holds a master’s degree from China’s prestigious Tsinghua University. Mr Richard Yu Chengdong started to oversee Huawei’s consumer business group in 2011, at a time when Chinese phones were considered cheap alternatives to brands such as Samsung, Apple and Nokia. He led the unit boldly all these years and has been successful in carrying out developments.
Huawei and Tencent, last year announced partnerships to establish labs focused on activities such as AI, VR, cloud gaming and many more.