Mei Xiaoqun, BMW’s vice president of marketing in China and head of MINI Greater China, has begun a six-month medical leave, according to an internal email. Her absence comes as BMW faces mounting pressure in the world’s largest auto market, having lost ground to rivals including Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Chinese electric-vehicle makers following a volatile price war in 2024.

Mei’s leave is the latest in a series of senior leadership changes at BMW China since 2023, including two management reshuffles in just over a year and the appointment of a finance executive as CEO of BMW Brilliance, signaling a shift toward profitability. It remains unclear whether Mei will return to her current role. Whoever leads BMW’s marketing efforts next will face significant challenges in electrification and brand differentiation.

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