When Wang Chuanfu, CEO of Chinese EV company BYD, told shareholders in Shenzhen this week that the company would become the world’s largest automaker within five years, he pointed to growing production and sales overseas as one of the major paths to get there.
As BYD faces increasing pressure at home, this international expansion has become a vital part of the company’s business model. At the forefront of this is Wang’s longtime partner, Stella Li, BYD’s executive VP. Over her 30-year career at the Chinese EV and technology giant, Li has overseen the company’s transformation from its origins as a maker of mobile phone batteries to the world’s top seller of electric vehicles.
