ZTE appoints Xu Ziyang as its CEO, names CTO and CFO

ZTE has appointed Xu Ziyang as its chief executive officer (CEO) as part of its commitment to the US to change top team in order continue in the telecom business, Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
ZTE US challenge
ZTE earlier removed its 14-member board of directors and top management to lift a 7-year ban imposed by US on China’s second largest telecom equipment maker on sourcing tech from US-based companies.

Xu Ziyang is the former head of the smartphones and networking gear company’s business in Germany.

ZTE has named Wang Xiyu (CTO), Gu Junying and Li Ying (CFO) as executive vice presidents.

ZTE top management

Chairman Xie Daxiong
CEO Xu Ziyang
CTO Wang Xiyu
EVP Gu Junying
CFO Li Ying

ZTE has promised to change its top management within 30 days of agreeing a $1.4 billion settlement with U.S. authorities in June.

Who lost jobs at ZTE?

ZTE has removed Zhao Xianming as the company’s CEO. In addition, ZTE has removed five executives including Xu Huijun, Zhang Zhenhui, Pang Shengqing, Xiong Hui and Shao Weilin from executive vice presidents posts. Earlier, ZTE chairman Yin Yimin had also stepped down, Reuters reported.

New CEO Xu was most recently president of ZTE’s telco cloud and core networks product line, according to past media reports. New chief technology officer Wang Xiyu was formerly a deputy CTO, and new chief financial officer Li Ying was only promoted to vice president earlier this year, according to company insiders.

Earlier, ZTE appointed a new board and Xie Daxiong as the new chairman to re-start the telecom business.

ZTE was forced to cease major operations in April after the United States slapped it with a supplier ban, saying it broke an agreement to discipline executives who conspired to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran and North Korea.