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.
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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.
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