(Yicai) May 12 -- Volvo Group has appointed Duan Jianjun, former president and chief executive of Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Beijing, as president and CEO of the Swedish carmaker's China arm.

Duan will succeed Yuan Xiaolin, who "stepped down to spend more time with his family," Volvo announced yesterday. He will join the firm's global core and sales management teams and report to the China board, while overseeing the end-to-end business in the country and the industrial and commercial operations of the entire value chain, it added.

Duan joined Mercedes-Benz Sales Service in 2013, becoming its president and the first-ever Chinese CEO in May 2023. He left his posts in February due to personal reasons, according to the company.

With over 30 years of experience in the auto industry, Duan has held senior executive posts at the Chinese units of German luxury carmakers Mercedes-Benz and BMW. He has accumulated management experience in multiple business areas, including sales management, brand operation, marketing, and after-sales service.

Yuan was a key member of Geely Holding Group's acquisition of Volvo, joining the Gothenburg-based firm after the deal was completed in 2010 and holding posts such as director of the chairman's office and secretary of the board at the Swedish headquarters. He became president of Volvo China in 2014, before being promoted to senior vice president of the parent company and president and CEO of Volvo Asia Pacific in March 2017.

Under Yuan's leadership, Volvo China further consolidated its market position and expanded its business territory, with its business more than doubling and laying an important foundation for its electrification, regional capacity building, and the development of products more suitable for Chinese consumers, Volvo pointed out.

China became a true second home for Volvo under Yuan, who helped develop product strategies that are more suitable for Chinese consumers, said President and CEO Håkan Samuelsson.

Volvo has set up a complete system in China after being bought by Geely, including one regional HQ, one research and development center, one design center, three manufacturing bases, and over 300 dealerships. In addition, the number of its employees has grown to nearly 6,000 from just several hundred in 2010.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev