HEAD OF THE DAY
🇨🇳 He Xiaopeng
🚗 The Second Act of the Internet Mogul
After co-founding UCWeb and selling it to Alibaba in what was then China’s largest internet deal, He Xiaopeng could have retired comfortably. Instead, he left his senior role at Alibaba and went all-in on a riskier bet: electric vehicles.
As Chairman and CEO of XPeng, he has infused car manufacturing with a “software-first” DNA, is pushing hard on autonomous driving, and has even announced plans for flying cars by 2026.
💡 Now: XPeng will officially open soon its first R&D center in Munich, underscoring its global expansion ambitions.
👉 Lesson learned: Your biggest success can be the springboard for the next. He Xiaopeng has shown how expertise in one field (internet software) can become the key to disrupting another (automotive) — if you’re willing to bet on your vision and commit fully.
The China Survival Guide for Western Businesses
Entity setup, WeChat strategy, hiring your first local team. 12+ years on the ground in Shanghai.
