(Yicai Global) June 2 -- Xiaomi Auto has reportedly appointed Vice President Huang Zhenyu as the general manager of its supply chain department as the electric vehicle unit of Chinese mobile phone giant Xiaomi Group hands more core jobs to auto industry veterans to ensure deliveries start early next year. 

Huang, a former executive of Canadian auto parts giant Magna International and former VP of Magna International China, will report directly to Xiaomi Auto's Chief Executive Officer Lei Jun, tech news outlet 36Kr reported today. He has extensive experience in supply chain management, according to the report.

Huang is the latest auto industry professional to be given another key role at Xiaomi Auto. Yu Liguo, former president of BAIC Group's premium EV brand Arcfox, joined Xiaomi Auto as VP in January last year, coordinating general management and talent building at its Beijing headquarters.

Xiaomi Auto's VP and now former head of the supply chain department, Li Xiaoshuang, will shift his focus to the marketing business and serve as GM of the marketing department, the report added. Li is one of Xiaomi's early employees, serving as GM of the home appliance department before taking the post of VP at Xiaomi Auto in 2021 when the unit was set up.

Xiaomi's auto research and development team has over 2,300 members and will likely begin mass production of its first model in the first quarter of 2024, Lei, who is also the founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi, said at a meeting of investors in February. The firm plans to sell 100,000 EVs in the first year of deliveries.

Last July, Zhou Xing, a sales executive from SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile, a joint venture between China's SAIC Motors and Wuling Motors and US car giant General Motors, joined Xiaomi Auto as head of marketing, but left the post this February, a company insider told Yicai Global at the time.

Editor: Martin Kadiev