From boardroom to Douyin: China’s CEO-influencers rise

When President Xi Jinping urged China’s tech leaders to “show their talent” at a high-profile symposium in Beijing on February 17, some were already leading by example. Take Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, who has transformed from a traditional tech executive into one of China’s most influential business personalities, using social media to help deliver over 150,000 units of the company’s first luxury electric vehicle in less than a year. Lei announced this milestone last month not through traditional channels but during a live video where he showcased the SU7’s autonomous parking features to his 40 million Douyin followers. Since the vehicle’s March 2024 launch, priced at 215,900 RMB ($29,800), Lei’s authentic approach to social media has helped position Xiaomi as a serious contender in China’s competitive premium auto market, with the company targeting 300,000 deliveries this year. China’s CEO-influencers: The new brand ambassadors? This new breed of CEO-influencer, emerging as Beijing signals renewed support for the tech sector, represents a significant shift in how Chinese business leaders engage with consumers. Internet security company Qihoo 360’s CEO, Zhou Hongyi, has built a following of 16.16 million on Douyin by sharing technology insights, while Zhou Chengjian, founder of domestic fashion brand Metersbonwe, uses short videos to offer retail expertise and promote his brand philosophy. The convergence of Beijing’s renewed support for tech companies and the rise of CEO-influencers highlights a potentially significant shift in China’s premium market landscape. For luxury brands, this creates both opportunities and challenges. First, the success of tech executives like Lei in selling premium products through personal channels suggests Chinese consumers increasingly value direct engagement with brand leaders. This comes at a time when Beijing appears to be encouraging greater visibility for its business elite — a marked change from recent years when many kept a low profile. However, international luxury houses face a delicate balancing act. While domestic tech companies have leveraged their founders’ personalities to connect with premium consumers, most Western luxury brands typically maintain a distance between their creative directors and Chinese social media. The question now is whether this traditional approach can still resonate with Chinese luxury consumers who are growing accustomed to unprecedented access to business leaders. Social media’s impact on premium positioning The implications extend beyond social media strategy. Lei’s success with Xiaomi’s SU7 demonstrates that Chinese consumers are willing to embrace premium products from tech companies — traditionally considered mass-market brands — when the founder effectively communicates the brand’s premium positioning. This indicates that Chinese luxury consumers may be more flexible in their definition of luxury than their Western counterparts. For luxury brands, the key takeaway isn’t necessarily that their CEOs need to become social media stars, but rather that the Chinese market may require more direct and transparent brand communication than other regions. As Beijing signals support for tech sector innovation, luxury brands should adapt their communication strategies to maintain their appeal in this evolving market.

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From boardroom to Douyin: China’s CEO-influencers rise