On October 16, Changan Automobile announced a significant leadership reshuffle. Zhu Huarong will retain his positions as Party Secretary and Chairman of China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd., where he will oversee the overarching strategy and long-term development of the group's automotive operations at a corporate level. However, he will relinquish all executive roles within the listed entity and its subsidiaries. Zhao Fei, previously serving as President of Changan Automobile, has been appointed Chairman, while Ye Pei, the former Executive Vice President, has been promoted to President. Changan Automobile explained that this adjustment is designed to harness China Changan Automobile's capabilities as a specialized automotive industry group in "strategic planning, resource allocation, fostering collaboration, risk management, and incentive enhancement," thereby refining the market-oriented mechanisms of the listed company and sharpening its focus on global operations.

Notably, just a month prior, on September 17, Changan Automobile convened its third extraordinary general meeting of shareholders for 2026, electing Zhu Huarong, Zhao Fei, and Ni Erke as non-independent directors, and Yang Xinmin, Tang Guliang, Li Zhenyu, Li Wei, and Gu Yanmin as independent directors. Together with Wang Yaohua, the employee director elected by the previous employee representative assembly, they constitute the company's new board of directors. At the inaugural meeting of Changan's tenth board of directors that followed, Zhu Huarong was re-elected as chairman. It is crucial to emphasize that Zhu Huarong remains the chairman of Changan Group, having only stepped down from his role as chairman of the listed company, Changan Automobile.

Within the Changan organizational framework, Zhu Huarong took on the roles of President and Party Secretary of Changan Automobile in December 2014, subsequently assuming leadership of Changan Automobile in 2020. In 2025, Changan Automobile underwent restructuring and elevation to become China's third automotive central enterprise, with Zhu Huarong shouldering the mantle as its new leader. Now, at 61 years old (born in 1965), Zhu Huarong is nearing the typical retirement age of 60, with the industry allowing for a maximum extension to 63. At this juncture, he is passing the baton, entrusting the day-to-day business operations to the incoming management team while concentrating on strategic oversight, ensuring a seamless transition for Changan's future endeavors.

The newly appointed Chairman, Zhao Fei, born in 1974 and having entered the workforce in 1996, has previously held positions such as Vice President and Executive Vice President of Changan Automobile, Party Secretary and Executive Vice President of Changan Ford, and Chairman of Chenzhi Automotive Technology Group. He was named President of Changan Automobile in December 2025. With a background encompassing technology, strategic planning, joint venture management, and group leadership, Zhao Fei possesses a comprehensive understanding of Changan's internal business dynamics.

The newly appointed President, Ye Pei, is a homegrown talent of Changan. Previously serving as Executive Vice President and Party Committee Member, Ye Pei was born in 1975 in Shandong Province. An engineer with a Master of Business Administration degree, he joined the workforce in 1996. His prior roles include Vice President of Changan Automobile, Director of the Passenger Vehicle Operations Management Committee, Director of the Oushang Operations Management Committee, General Manager of the Changan Brand Business Division, Executive Deputy Director of the Changan Brand (Gravity, Qiyuan) Operations Management Committee, Deputy Director of the Changan Automobile Technology Committee, and Executive Vice President and Party Committee Member of Changan Automobile.

It is noteworthy that both Zhao Fei and Ye Pei are executives from the post-1970s generation in this reshuffle. Additionally, Yang Dayong will transition from Executive Vice President of Changan Automobile to Senior Executive Vice President, while Deng Chenghao will move from Vice President to Executive Vice President.

External analysts also suggest that this adjustment is part of Changan's broader efforts to clarify the relationship between the group and the listed company. In July 2025, China Changan Automobile Group was established, spun off from the original China North Industries Group Corporation, to become an automotive central enterprise directly under the supervision of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, with business operations spanning vehicles, components, and other sectors. The group now boasts a more autonomous organizational structure to fulfill its resource coordination responsibilities.

Following this adjustment, Zhu Huarong can dedicate more energy to long-term technological strategy, capital allocation, and cross-business collaboration, while Zhao Fei and Ye Pei will shoulder clearer governance and operational responsibilities at the listed company level. In fact, Dongfeng Motor has also undertaken similar adjustments. For instance, the group previously announced an asset swap with LanTu Automobile to facilitate LanTu's listing, with the group stepping back to concentrate on strategic resource integration and other aspects, thereby unlocking internal group resources and achieving a "releasing the tiger down the mountain" effect.