(Yicai Global) Jan. 27 -- Huawei Technologies has appointed Richard Yu, who has held a series of top positions during his 30-year career at the Chinese telecoms giant, to take charge of the Cloud and Artificial Intelligence Business Group, a company insider told Yicai Global.

“52-year-old Yu, who is currently chief executive officer of the Consumer Business Group, is already heading the Cloud & AI BG, although the appointment has not yet been made official,” the insider said.

The Cloud & AI BG is a key business group for Huawei with great growth potential. It provides public cloud, private cloud, AI, Big Data, computing, storage and Internet of Things services.

All companies will use cloud services by 2025 and 97 percent of large firms will use AI, Huawei predicted earlier. AI is the key in cloud-based competition, and 77 percent of cloud services will use AI, it added.

“The position is of vital importance,” several insiders told Yicai Global. “Let those who are capable serve in the position, in order to give other business departments the chance to grow larger and stronger.” Several candidates were lined up, but Yu is the most likely, they said.

Yu comes with vast experience. He has held a number of senior positions at the Shenzhen-based firm, including vice president of the wireless technical sales department, president of the wireless network product line, president of the European area and chief strategy and marketing officer, according to the firm’s website.

Huawei and Yu have yet to comment.

Hou Jinlong was appointed president of the Cloud & AI BG in January last year. It is not clear how the new appointment affects him.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Kim Taylor