From Feng Fuzhi to Zhao Yongpo: Does the Wei Brand Need "Professional Managers" or "Insiders"?

Feng Fuzhi has just become the industry's most watched "luckiest CEO," and Wei Jianjun once again wields the reform knife over the management of the WEY brand. Recently, rumors have been circulating that "Haval General Manager Zhao Yongpo will replace Feng Fuzhi." If the news is true, this means that from May to December this year, in just seven months, WEY will once again experience a change in leadership.

Even though Great Wall Motors doesn't exhibit the same aggressive stance as it once did, it remains decisive and resolute when it comes to investing in the brand bearing the "Wei" name.

In October 2023, just before the launch of Wei Brand's first MPV Gaoshan, CEO Chen Siying suddenly resigned due to "personal reasons," adding a layer of speculation to what should have been a lively press conference.

Chen Siying has over twenty years of experience in the automotive industry. He joined Geely Lynk & Co in 2019 and moved to Great Wall Motors' Wey brand in 2023. However, less than a year later, he returned to his old employer. His departure continues the "tradition" of short tenures for CEOs at Wey.

In 2024, Wei Jianjun personally oversaw the efforts, and the Wei brand began to show signs of recovery. Significantly, in May 2025, the Gaoshan model was revamped and renamed Gaoshan 8 and Gaoshan 9 for re-release; just a few days later, Feng Fuzhi made his first appearance as the new CEO at the Wei brand renewal day. In October, a more accessible model, Gaoshan 7, was launched, but only two months later, there were rumors of Feng Fuzhi stepping down.

In the past two years, three CEOs have changed, all centered around the Gaoshan MPV.

Similar to Chen Siying, Feng Fuzhi is also a "non-Great Wall system" talent with extensive industry experience. In Wei's brand, the phenomenon of short tenures for external experts seems particularly pronounced.

Feng Fuzhi is regarded as a channel expert, having quickly completed retail layouts in first- and second-tier cities with a limited budget at Ideal Auto. In 2023, he joined Great Wall Motors, responsible for the construction of the Great Wall Smart Selection channel, and later took charge of the Wey brand, with high expectations for promoting the brand's upscale transformation.

"From 2021 to the present, the average transaction price of Wei brand has risen from 150,000 yuan to 293,700 yuan, surpassing Audi and approaching BMW." At the Guangzhou Auto Show in November 2025, Feng Fuzhi confidently presented this data. During the same period, the sales performance of Wei brand has also continued to improve: in November, sales increased by 81.14% year-on-year, and the cumulative growth for the first eleven months reached 93.94%.

However, beneath the glamour, pressure coexists. Feng Fuzhi once revealed that from May of last year to November of this year, over 500 direct service outlets have been established in more than 130 cities. However, Wei Jianjun's previous goal was to "open 1,000 stores in a year." Clearly, the actual progress still falls short of expectations.

On December 7, the Wei brand made a public response to the issue of the Blue Mountain model's instrument panel trim, with a firm and sincere attitude. Coincidentally, shortly thereafter, Feng Fuzhi was reported to be "on leave." There has been much speculation about whether the two are related.

It is worth noting that Great Wall was deeply affected by the Ora "chip gate" incident, making them highly sensitive to quality public opinion. The Wei brand must not become a second Ora.

After Feng Fuzhi's "leave," Haval's General Manager Zhao Yongpo has been brought to the forefront and is expected to take over the Wei brand. Zhao Yongpo joined Great Wall around 2000 and is a key figure who has grown from within the company.

After taking over as general manager of Haval in November 2023, he led the brand to gradually stabilize amidst market fluctuations, with Haval's sales increasing by 11.13% year-on-year in the first 11 months of 2025.

In multiple public occasions, Zhao Yongpo's speeches have been highly synchronized with Wei Jianjun's car manufacturing philosophy, and he is seen as a steadfast executor of the latter's will. Now, this veteran from the Great Wall group is faced with a critical mission, and whether he can lead the Wei brand, which is betting on his surname, to steady the next phase is highly anticipated.

Regardless, frequent changes in leadership at WEY have become the norm. Looking back at the past several leaders, it's almost exclusively been entrusted to external "parachuted" individuals. After their sudden departure, veterans from Great Wall take over to smoothly navigate through the transitional period.

If Zhao Yongpo, who has already shown his skills in the Haval brand, takes on the heavy responsibility of being the CEO of the Wey brand, what changes will he bring?