He Xiaopeng
{{short description|Chinese entrepreneur}}
{{COI|date=February 2020}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{family name hatnote|He (何)|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox person
| name = He Xiaopeng
| image = He Xiaopeng during a public event.png
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|11|3|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Huangshi, Hubei, China
| native_name = 何小鹏
| occupation = Chairman of XPeng Motors{{cite news|url=http://www.finsmes.com/2017/12/xpeng-motors-completes-three-series-a-financing-rounds.html|title=XPENG Motors Completes Three Series A+ Financing Rounds|date=2017-12-18|work=FinSMEs|access-date=2018-03-03}}
| known_for = Co-founding UCWeb and XPeng Motors
| nationality = Chinese
| alma_mater = South China University of Technology
}}
He Xiaopeng ({{zh|c=何小鹏|p=Hé Xiǎopéng}}; born 3{{nbsp}}November 1977) is a Chinese entrepreneur, best known for co-founding companies including XPeng Motors, an intelligent electric vehicle manufacturer, and UCWeb,{{cite magazine|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=46476173 |title=UCWeb Inc.: Private Company Information |magazine=Bloomberg Businessweek|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140711181410/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=46476173 |archive-date=2014-07-11}} the Chinese mobile Internet software and service provider he co-founded in 2004. UCWeb was acquired by Alibaba Group in June 2014 in the largest merger and acquisition deal ever in the Chinese internet industry.{{cite news|last=Carsten|first=Paul |date=11 June 2014|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alibaba-group-ucweb-idUSKBN0EM04P20140611 |title=Alibaba to buy out UCWeb in China's biggest internet merger |work=Reuters |access-date=28 September 2021}}{{cite magazine|last=Lim|first=Jason |date=11 June 2014|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jlim/2014/06/11/alibaba-fully-buys-out-ucweb-in-chinas-biggest-internet-deal-ever/ |title=Alibaba Fully Buys Out UCWeb in China's Biggest Internet Deal Ever |magazine=Forbes|access-date=28 September 2021}} After acquisition, he was named as president of UCWeb and president of the Alibaba Mobile Business Group, and later served as the president of Tudou & Ali Games.
On 22 August 2017, Xiaopeng left Alibaba and officially joined XPeng Motors on 29 August as chairman of the startup.{{cite news|author=Aurora|url=http://autonews.gasgoo.com/china_news/70012318.html|title=Alibaba invests in Xpeng Motors|date=2017-12-13|work=Gasgoo|access-date=2018-03-03}}
Early life and education
Born in Huangshi, Hubei, where he spent his childhood. He graduated from the South China University of Technology{{cite book|script-title=zh:网络光芒——中国互联网的力量与信心|trans-title=Network Superstars: The Power and Confidence Behind the Chinese Internet|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f6bnYR4v2_UC|year=2010|publisher=DynoMedia Inc.|isbn=978-7-111-28770-4|pages=92–95|language=zh}} with a bachelor's degree in computer science.
Career
=Early career=
He worked at AsiaInfo Technologies in various roles including technology manager, testing manager and project manager after graduation in his early career.
=UCWeb: 2004–2017=
He co-founded UCWeb with Liang Jie in 2004 overseeing the company product strategy and R&D efforts. In June 2014, UCWeb was acquired by e-commerce giant Alibaba Group for $4.3 billion making He Xiaopeng a billionaire. From 2014 to August 2017, Xiaopeng served as senior executive of Alibaba Mobile Business Division.{{cite web|last=Liao|first=Shumin |date=2017-12-14 |url=https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/alibaba-investment-in-xpeng-underscores-bat-nev-race|title=Alibaba's Investment in XPENG Underscores BAT's NEV Race |website=Yicai Global|access-date=2018-03-06}} On 22 August 2017, Xiaopeng officially announced his resignation from all his positions in Alibaba to start a new adventure and lead startup XPeng Motors.{{cite web|url=http://www.top-news.top/news-13953107.html|title=Ali entered the new car BAT Xiaopeng investment field repairer |website=top-news.top|date=2017-12-13|access-date=2018-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216062819/http://www.top-news.top/news-13953107.html|archive-date=2017-12-16|url-status=dead}}
=XPeng Motors: 2017–present=
In 2014, He Xiaopeng supported Xia Heng and He Tao in the foundation of XPeng Motors, an electric self-driving vehicle automobile company.{{cite web|url=http://www.xiaopeng.com/about.html |script-title=zh:小鹏汽车-关于小鹏 |website=xiaopeng.com |language=zh |access-date=March 21, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319213602/http://xiaopeng.com/about.html |archive-date=March 19, 2016}}{{cite web|last=Louise|first=Nickie |date=2018-01-29|url=https://techstartups.com/2018/01/29/chinese-electric-car-startup-xiaopeng-raises-350-million-from-alibaba-and-foxconn/|title=Chinese electric car startup Xiaopeng raises $350 million from Alibaba and Foxconn |website=Tech Startups|access-date=2018-03-06}} The company received initial investments from Li Xueling, Fu Sheng, Wu Xiaoguang, Zhang Ying, and other investors to work on autonomous driving engineering and machine learning.{{cite web|url=https://www.waonews.com/news/5419-He_Xiaopeng_the_car_repairer_is_Xiaopeng_either_cross_or_filled_crater.htm|title=He Xiaopeng: the car repairer is Xiaopeng either cross or filled crater |website=waonews.com|date=2018-01-20|access-date=2018-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213195226/https://www.waonews.com/news/5419-He_Xiaopeng_the_car_repairer_is_Xiaopeng_either_cross_or_filled_crater.htm|archive-date=2018-02-13|url-status=dead}} XPeng's stated goal was to manufacture networked cars in China with capabilities like electrification, intelligence, networking and autonomous driving.{{cite web|last=Zart|first=Nicolas |date=20 January 2018|url=https://cleantechnica.com/2018/01/20/alibabas-xiaopeng-bets-entire-fortune-another-tesla-killer/|title=Alibaba-Backed He Xiaopeng Bets Entire Fortune On Another "Tesla Killer" |website=CleanTechnica|access-date=2018-03-06}} In September 2016, XPeng Motors released the beta version of its prototype G3 intelligent electric mini-SUV in Beijing. The car received positive reviews for its design, performance and technology.{{cite news|last=Watts|first=Gordon |date=2018-01-20|url=https://asiatimes.com/article/chinas-e-car-players-plugged-ready-go/|title=China's e-car players are plugged in and ready to go|work=Asia Times|access-date=2018-03-06}}{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Karl |date=2018-01-11|url=http://cardesignnews.com/articles/cdn-live/ces/2018/01/ces-2018-xpeng-g3-takes-on-tesla|title=CES 2018: XPeng G3 takes on Tesla |work=Car Design News|access-date=2018-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118153638/http://cardesignnews.com/articles/cdn-live/ces/2018/01/ces-2018-xpeng-g3-takes-on-tesla|archive-date=2018-01-18|url-status=dead}} He became full-time chairman of XPeng in August 2017.
XPeng Motors currently manufactures its G3 intelligent electric SUV in China, and distributes and supports its vehicles through a chain of retail and service centers across the country. The company's P7 intelligent electric sports coupe model is scheduled to come to market in the spring of 2020.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Weibo}}
{{XPeng}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:He, Xiaopeng}}
Category:21st-century Chinese businesspeople
Category:Businesspeople from Hubei
Category:Chinese founders of automobile manufacturers