CEO of Chinese Smartphone Brand Honor Resigns Due To Personal Reasons

George Zhao, the chief executive of Chinese smartphone firm Honor, has resigned from his position due to personal reasons, the company said on Friday. CNBC: "The company and the Board of Directors sincerely appreciate Mr Zhao's outstanding contributions to the company during his tenure," Honor said in a statement.

Jian Li, who's been at Honor for four years in various senior management positions, will succeed Zhao as CEO. In an internal memo posted by Chinese media and confirmed as accurate by an Honor spokesperson, Zhao said he was stepping down due to health reasons and planned to rest, recover and spend more time with his family.

[...] Honor's market share in China has risen from 9.8% in 2020 to over 15% in 2024, according to Counterpoint Research. Outside of China, Honor's market share hit 2.3% in 2024, compared to under 1% in 2020.

"Health Reasons"

[Gilmoure]

Is that like falling down an empty elevator shaft, having a heart attack, and landing on a bunch of bullets?

Re:"Health Reasons"

[penguinoid]

That's Russia. In China, you go for a nice vacation during which you cut all contact with everyone, and come back singing the praises of the CCP.

Two Possibilities

[GameboyRMH]

Either he had a sudden outbreak of sanity and realized he had no reason to continue working with tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank

OR

The company is secretly in the deepest shit in the history of corporate ratfuckery and we'll find out what it is in a few days.

Re:

[RossCWilliams]

Or, he is has a health problem, just like the news release says, and either can't or does not want to be working. Or.. the new Chinese investors in Honor want their own person in charge or .....

Re:

[i kan reed]

In china, getting too rich absolutely paints a target on your back.

"The richest person in China" is not a title held for long periods of time.

So basically

[93 Escort Wagon]

George Zhao is no longer a man of Honor. /rimshot