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A source reported that on July 6, brilliance BMW announced internally that Xiao Yi, vice president of dealer development of brilliance BMW Co., Ltd. was absent for personal reasons and was not expected to come back in the near future.

The news that Xiao Yi was absent and could not return to his post in the short term was too sudden and difficult to understand. BMW brilliance also said that in the meantime, Gao Xiang (Sean Green), senior vice president of sales and marketing, will act as his agent and be responsible for the business operations of the sales channel development department.

As early as June 23, it has been revealed that Liu Zhi, president of BMW (China) Automobile Trading Co., Ltd., officially resigned on the 23rd. Xiao Yi, vice president of dealer development of BMW brilliance, has been suspended for investigation since last Wednesday (June 17). The source is the founder of a media and the visual director of BMWCar BMW.

On June 24, BMW Group Greater China officially announced that Liu Zhi had left the company for personal reasons, and Shao Bin would succeed Liu Zhi as president of BMW (China) Automobile Trading Co., Ltd from July 4.

There are different opinions on the specific reasons for Liu Zhi's departure. According to the above source, "Liu Zhi and Xiao Yi were suspended on the afternoon of June 17. Liu Zhiqiang took a week off. Liu Zhi returned to the office on the 22nd and offered to leave on the 23rd and take that day as the last working day." And Xiao Yi was suspended from the investigation so far, yesterday the company official announced that it will not come back for a short time. "

The news has not been officially confirmed and BMW has not responded to earlier rumors. In the announcement, BMW said Liu Zhi left the company for personal reasons and the company fully respected his decision.

Liu Zhi

In April 2016, Liu Zhi officially became president of BMW China. As the first Chinese president of BMW in China and the youngest president of any multinational car company in China, Liu Zhi joined BMW in 2008 and held management positions in product management, dealer management and sales. He became vice president of sales of BMW brilliance in May 2015 and was promoted to president of BMW China in 2016.

Under Liu Zhi, BMW's sales in China increased from 516300 in 2016 to 723600 in 2019, which also promoted the transformation and upgrading of BMW in China. As a result, the outside world did not quite understand Liu Zhi's sudden resignation.

"Sang Zhiwei, a member of the expert committee of the China Automobile Circulation Association, commented," Liu Zhi became president of BMW China from the post of head of BMW's southern district, during the most tense period between BMW and dealers. BMW provided 5.2 billion subsidies to dealers that year. After taking office, Liu Zhi used the expert committee of BMW dealers as a platform to strengthen communication with dealers, strengthened interaction with dealers in terms of product definition, pricing, and business policies, and played a positive role. BMW dealers have made 4-5 points from losses four years ago to comprehensive profits on new car sales this year. Liu Zhi's contribution to BMW has been recognized by dealers. "

The latest figures show that BMW's total sales in China in the first half of 2020 were 329069 vehicles, down 6% from the same period last year, mainly affected by the epidemic. BMW grew in the second quarter, with sales of 212617 vehicles, up 17.1 per cent from a year earlier.

Xiao Yi

Liu Zhi of BMW China resigned and Xiao Yi, vice president of dealer development, was unable to return to his post, and the news inevitably raised questions about whether he was suspended for personal reasons or other reasons. In the future, whether Xiao Yi will return to his post or not will be subject to further news from brilliance BMW.

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