Xiaomi Auto (小米汽车) makes major appointments: Hu Zhengnan (胡峥楠) named first CTO; former Tesla (特斯拉) plant chief Song Gang (宋钢) joins as Chief of Staff

Leadership shake-up signals production push

Xiaomi Auto (小米汽车) has elevated two industry veterans as it prepares to move from product launches to mass production. It has been reported that Hu Zhengnan (胡峥楠) has been named the company's first chief technology officer — the first time Xiaomi Auto has set up a CTO role since the car unit was announced in 2021 — and that Song Gang (宋钢), the former “ace” plant manager at Tesla (特斯拉) Shanghai, will join as chief of staff. The announcements were disclosed internally at Xiaomi Group (小米集团), according to reports in 36Kr and IT之家.

Experience spans legacy and new-energy automotive sectors

Hu Zhengnan brings nearly three decades of automotive experience. It has been reported that he joined Shunwei Capital (顺为资本) in 2021 as an investment partner and served as an early advisor to Xiaomi Auto, appearing at public events from the SU7 launch to the 2024 Beijing Auto Show and the SU7 Ultra’s Nürburgring challenge. Song Gang, reportedly recruited from Tesla Shanghai where he was vice president of manufacturing, previously held roles at General Motors and Ford and helped lead the build and ramp of Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory after joining Tesla in 2018.

What this means for Xiaomi and the broader market

Why these hires matter? Xiaomi Auto has been focused on design and technology messaging; now it appears to be beefing up operational and manufacturing muscle to scale production. The moves also reflect a broader pattern in China’s EV sector, where new entrants are hiring seasoned managers from both traditional automakers and foreign EV players to shorten the learning curve. It has been reported that these appointments aim to accelerate Xiaomi’s manufacturing readiness ahead of wider deliveries.

Geopolitical and industry context

The hires come amid heightened U.S.–China competition in high-tech industries and ongoing scrutiny of supply chains and talent flows. While recruiting experienced manufacturing leaders is a common industrial strategy, it occurs against a backdrop of trade tensions and regulatory attention that Western readers may find relevant when assessing China’s rapid EV expansion.