On August 13, 2024, Fortune, a globally renowned business media outlet, officially unveiled its 2024 "40 Under 40" list of business elites in China. Jeff Hui, founder and chairman of Leekr Technology, was honored on this prestigious list.
A week prior, Fortune had released its 2024 "Global 500" ranking, spotlighting the automotive sector. Globally, 37 companies related to the automotive industry made the list, with 10 being Chinese automotive and auto parts companies, including well-known firms such as SAIC, FAW, BYD, GAC, Geely, BAIC, Dongfeng, and Chery. Additionally, two automotive supply chain companies, CATL and Jardine Matheson, also made the list. China leads the global automotive sector in terms of the number of companies represented, and funds related to FAW, BAIC, and Chery have invested in Leekr Technology.
As the global automotive market undergoes a rapid transition towards electrification and intelligent systems, China's automotive industry is spearheading this new era. BYD, the global leader in new energy vehicles, was the fastest-climbing company in the automotive sector on the list. First-time entrant Chery saw sales exceed 1.1 million units in the first half of 2024, reflecting a growth of over 48%. Its performance in overseas markets was particularly outstanding.
The transformation of the automotive industry has also led to a reshaping of the supply chain. In addition to the many complete vehicle manufacturers, an increasing number of upstream and downstream companies are rapidly emerging. As a necessary component for new energy vehicles and a cornerstone for achieving high-level intelligent driving, intelligent chassis technology is crucial. Achieving autonomy and control over core components of intelligent chassis systems has become a key focus in strengthening the core competencies of the automotive industry.
This year's "40 Under 40" list includes five business elites from the automotive sector. In addition to Jeff Hui from Leekr Technology, the other four honorees are from unicorn companies in the autonomous driving field: Momenta's founder Cao Xudong, Yuanrong Qixing's founder Zhou Guang, WeRide's founder Han Wen, and Pony.ai's co-founder Lou Tiancheng.