Lei Jun – the 55-year-old Chinese entrepreneur transforming Xiaomi into a technology conglomerate covering smartphones, electric vehicles (EVs) and chips – will retain his seat as “honorary chairman” at Beijing Kingsoft Office Software, suggesting that the founder remains committed to taking on multiple roles on the business front lines.
In his honorary chairman role, Lei, the “actual controller” of Kingsoft Office, will provide guidance on technology innovation, management and corporate culture, without drawing a salary, according to a filing by the Shanghai-listed company on Thursday.
Shares of Kingsoft Office rose 0.7 per cent on Thursday morning.
Lei’s reappointment at Kingsoft Office – which is known for its WPS Office software, a popular local alternative to Microsoft Office – followed weeks of intense public scrutiny regarding the safety of Xiaomi’s driving-assistance system.
Last month, Lei said on his Weibo account that he was facing “the hardest time” since founding Xiaomi in 2010, following a fatal crash involving the autonomous-driving feature of the company’s SU7 vehicle, which resulted in three deaths in late March.
