On June 9, 2026, public Chinese business registries showed that Seres Auto Co., Ltd. (赛力斯汽车有限公司) — the operating subsidiary of Seres Group and manufacturing partner for Huawei’s AITO brand — has undergone a major board change. Founder Zhang Xinghai (张兴海) has stepped down as chairman of Seres Auto, with his son Zhang Zhengping (张正萍) succeeding him in the role. Zhang Xinghai remains chairman of the parent Seres Group, which still owns 93.633% of Seres Auto.
This is the most significant leadership transition at Seres since the company pivoted from cargo vans to EVs in 2019. It comes at a critical inflection point: AITO M-series sales — driven by the partnership with Huawei — generated roughly 90.3% of Seres’ 2025 revenue, but the company is now actively diversifying through the new AIVA brand we covered in our AIVA brand launch coverage.
Who Is Zhang Zhengping?
Zhang Zhengping, born in the early 1990s, is the younger son of Zhang Xinghai. He has been deeply involved in Seres’ EV operations since 2020 and held several executive roles before this promotion:
- Executive Director, Seres Auto (2021-2024)
- Vice Chairman, Seres Auto (2024-2026)
- Chairman, Chongqing Phoenix Technology Co., Ltd. (Seres’ EV manufacturing arm, since 2024)
He is known internally for driving the AITO M9 program from concept to delivery and for negotiating the deepening partnership with Huawei Smart Car Business Unit (Huawei IAS BU) in 2024-2025. He is also reportedly the executive sponsor of the AIVA brand launched June 9.
What This Change Signals
Three interpretations are circulating in the Chinese auto industry:
- Generational succession. Zhang Xinghai is 62 and has signaled a desire to focus on Seres Group’s broader strategic portfolio. Putting his son in operational control of the auto subsidiary is a classic family-controlled Chinese conglomerate transition pattern, similar to what Great Wall Motors’ Wei family and Geely’s Li family have done.
- De-risking from Huawei dependence. The AIVA launch — built on ByteDance Doubao and DeepRoute.ai instead of Huawei — needs a CEO who can publicly distance Seres from the Huawei-only narrative. Zhang Zhengping has been the executive most willing to publicly discuss Seres’ “Plan B” strategy.
- Preparation for an IPO or major capital event. Seres Auto’s standalone IPO has been rumored since late 2024. A clean leadership transition with a younger, longer-tenure CEO is a typical pre-IPO governance move.
Seres’ Strategic Position in 2026
Seres exited 2025 with annual revenue of roughly ¥130 billion (US$17.9 billion), 90%+ of which came from AITO. The company has three strategic priorities for 2026:
- Defend AITO M-series sales against competition from Li Auto i-series, NIO ET-series and the upcoming Xiaomi YU7
- Launch the AIVA brand into the ¥100K-200K family-SUV segment in H2 2026
- Expand AITO exports to Europe and the Middle East — limited by the Huawei software stack issue
Zhang Zhengping’s first 100 days will be measured against AIVA’s market reception in late 2026. He’ll also need to manage tensions with Huawei: as AITO’s exclusive vehicle manufacturer, Seres needs to maintain the Huawei partnership while simultaneously building a brand that explicitly avoids Huawei technology.
The China Auto Family-Succession Pattern
The Zhang Xinghai-to-Zhang Zhengping transition fits a broader pattern in China’s family-controlled OEMs. Geely’s Li Shufu has gradually handed operational control to his son Li Xingxing across the Volvo and Lynk & Co subsidiaries. Great Wall Motors’ Wei Jianjun has elevated his daughter Wei Yan into senior product leadership. Chery’s Yin Tongyue has rotated his son Yin Bohan into the Exeed strategy. The pattern is consistent: founders retain group-level chairmanship while the next generation takes operational responsibility at the subsidiary level — a structure that balances continuity with renewal.
This is a uniquely Chinese governance pattern that differs from the US (where founders are typically replaced by professional CEOs at scale) and from Korean chaebols (where family control is typically more concentrated and opaque). It generally accelerates product roadmap and risk-tolerance for new initiatives like AIVA — which is exactly the dynamic AIVA needs in its early going.
What It Means for AITO and AIVA Owners
For current AITO owners, nothing changes operationally — Huawei retains the user-interface and software relationship; Seres manufactures the vehicles. For future AIVA owners, Zhang Zhengping’s appointment increases the likelihood that the brand will receive consistent investment and product cadence rather than being treated as a side project.
For international observers, the succession is a useful proxy signal: when Chinese family-controlled OEMs hand operational control to the next generation, it typically accelerates product roadmap and international expansion. See our May 2026 China all-EV top 10 analysis for our broader look at the new entrants reshaping China’s EV market.
FAQ
Who is the new CEO of Seres Auto?
Zhang Zhengping (张正萍), the son of founder Zhang Xinghai, has been appointed chairman of Seres Auto Co., Ltd. He previously served as vice chairman and led the AITO M9 program.
Is Zhang Xinghai retiring?
No. Zhang Xinghai has only stepped down from the operating subsidiary Seres Auto. He remains chairman of the parent Seres Group, which still owns 93.633% of Seres Auto.
Does this change affect the Huawei AITO partnership?
No formal change has been announced. AITO continues as a joint product, with Huawei providing the cabin and ADAS software and Seres handling manufacturing. The new CEO has been deeply involved in Huawei collaboration since 2024.
Will Seres Auto IPO separately?
A standalone IPO for Seres Auto has been rumored since 2024 but not officially confirmed. The clean leadership transition is one of several governance moves typical of pre-IPO preparation.
Source: Autohome.com.cn
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