- Great Wall Motors (GWM) has announced a new Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand.
- Andrew Gao is a 15-year veteran of the company, having joined in 2011 before moving to Australia in 2014.
- Former MG, Charles Zhao, is moving to a role within the company in Europe.
GWM has announced the appointment of Andrew Gao as Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, effective 1 February 2026, succeeding Charles Zhao who will relocate to Europe.
The company says Gao brings nearly 15 years of experience with GWM, having joined in 2011 before relocating to Australia in 2014. He has held senior leadership roles across sales, network development, product, and brand functions, which the company says gives him a deep understanding of "both the local market and GWM’s global strategy."
"I am excited to take on the role of Managing Director for GWM Australia and New Zealand,” said Gao.
"I sincerely thank Charles for the strong foundations he has established, from building a high-performing team to positioning Australia as GWM’s largest export market and transforming the brand. I look forward to leading this exceptional organisation as we continue to build a healthy, sustainable and growing business."
Gao says that GWM’s 2026 strategy will be anchored around four core pillars: strengthening the product range, dealer importance, enhanced aftersales capability, and evaluating the customer experience.
"As we enter 2026, we will continue to introduce compelling new products, locally tuned and optimised specifically for Australian and New Zealand customers,” said Gao.
GMW says that Australasia remains one of its most important strategic overseas markets, with the brand taking up residence at the former Holden proving grounds at Lang Lang and the hiring last year of product engineering manager Rob Trubiani being the strongest indicators of that so far. Trubiani holds almost legendary status in the Australasian motoring industry following decades of being the man behind the excellent ride and handling of Australian-built Holdens.
At the time of its move to Lang Lang and hiring of Trubiani, GWM said that its objective was to "strengthen local engineering efforts with a view to further improving vehicle dynamics and, ultimately, customer experience across the region", and a first taste of the results of his input in a Haval H6 PHEV were illuminating.
On top of this focus on localised engineering, Gao says that the company will continue to invest in providing its dealership network with "the tools, systems and resources required to succeed", while also improving its aftersales operations through expanded parts warehousing and enhanced technical training.
"Together, these initiatives will underpin our long-term commitment to delivering better vehicles, superior driving experiences, and outstanding value and service," he Gao.
Gao's appointment comes just days after Nissan announced that Andrew Humberstone would be leaving to the top job at Nissan Oceania to return to a senior role in Europe, while MG Motor local boss Peter Ciao also left his top role across Australia and New Zealand.