Chinese vendor Huawei has named Lord Browne as chairman of its British business and added two other new directors to its board as it continues in its efforts to temper concerns about its corporate governance.
The appointment of Browne, who was CEO of…
Chinese vendor Huawei has named Lord Browne as chairman of its British business and added two other new directors to its board as it continues in its efforts to temper concerns about its corporate governance.
The appointment of Browne, who was CEO of oil giant BP for 12 years up until 2007, marks the first time Huawei has had an independent chair of its UK unit.
In addition, Dame Helen Alexander, chair of media group UBM and the Port of London Authority, and Sir Andrew Cahn, vice chairman of Nomura, have been made non-executive directors of the subsidiary, as the manufacturer revamps its UK board.
Ken Hu, Huawei’s deputy chairman and rotating CEO, said: “This is just the latest illustration of Huawei’s commitment to openness and transparency and to continuing to build relationships of trust in the UK and across the world.”
Huawei has been struggled to break through into some Western markets, in particular the US, due to its undisclosed ownership structure and a perceived link between the company and the Chinese government, which has led to suggestions of spying.
The vendor’s founder and president Ren Zhengfei, once an officer in the People’s Liberation Army, has disputed these claims and the company asserts that it is 100%-owned by its employees.
