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Huawei’s Richard Yu to lead cloud, AI units as telecoms giant pushes into new growth markets
- The latest move by Huawei shows how it continues to double down on new growth areas amid its struggles with US trade sanctions
- The Shenzhen-based company is China’s No 2 cloud services provider and a national champion in AI
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![Richard Yu Chengdong, chief executive of Huawei Technologies Co’s consumer business group, will have an expanded role at the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker. Photo: Bloomberg](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/methode/2021/01/28/5847741e-614d-11eb-9099-aaa38b7b3943_image_hires_183424.jpeg?itok=6nGzqV8h&v=1611830077)
Huawei Technologies Co is expanding the duties of Richard Yu Chengdong, the consumer business group’s chief executive, to cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI), a management reshuffle that could strengthen the firm’s moves into new growth markets amid its struggles with US trade sanctions.
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The 51-year-old Yu, who led Huawei’s march to unseat Samsung Electronics as the world’s biggest smartphone vendor in the second quarter last year, will take over from Hou Jinlong as head of those two business units, according to an internal memo seen by the South China Morning Post. It said the official announcement of Yu’s expanded responsibilities will be made on February 7.
Hou will be transferred to head Huawei’s digital power service, a unit under the Shenzhen-based company’s carrier business group that deals with telecommunications network operators.
![Customers visit a store of Huawei Technologies Co in Shanghai on January 10, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE Customers visit a store of Huawei Technologies Co in Shanghai on January 10, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE](https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/01/28/1382c288-614e-11eb-9099-aaa38b7b3943_1320x770_183424.jpg)
“AI and cloud computing are the key growth areas in China over the next few years,” said Kitty Fok, managing director of tech research firm IDC China. “Putting more focus and investments in AI and cloud computing is an important strategy for Huawei to capture future opportunities.”
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