The leader in intelligent driving welcomes a new president.

Author | Zhou Zhiyu Horizon made a major personnel change known to the outside world through an extremely low-key signing ceremony. Recently, Horizon signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Times Intelligence, a subsidiary of CATL. In the official group photo from the signing, a relatively familiar face in the industry sat at the center of power. Zhu Wei made his public debut as “President of Horizon” for the first time. Wallstreetcn learned that Zhu, who previously served as Executive President of CATL’s passenger car business, officially joined Horizon earlier this month, taking over the presidency from the 63-year-old Chen Liming. Chen Liming has transitioned to the position of Vice Chairman. According to people familiar with the matter, Zhu Wei serves as President of Horizon and President of the Intelligent Automotive Division. The internal announcement described him as someone “whose joining will inject strong business implementation and ecosystem integration capabilities into the company.” This major personnel change is a key decision in Horizon's governance structure as it enters a different stage of industry development. To understand why Zhu Wei joined at this time, it’s necessary to look at the foundation Chen Liming leaves behind. Graduating from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1986, pursuing further studies in the US, and working at Bosch for 26 years—Chen Liming’s resume is a classic chronicle of automotive engineering. When he was invited by Yu Kai to join Horizon in 2021, the startup was experiencing the growing pains of moving from the lab to mass production vehicles. Chen brought with him a strict supply chain discipline and Tier 1 engineering standards. He was like a ballast stone, helping Horizon solidify its delivery capability from zero to one. During those years, Horizon not only had to sell chips but also learn how to be a qualified Tier 1 supplier and collaborate closely with OEMs. Chen successfully instilled a sense of traditional automotive industry order into this internet-heavy AI startup. But as 2026 approaches, the battlefield has changed. Today’s smart driving market is no longer just about achieving mass production, but is a fierce contest of scale, affordability, and cost-efficiency. Wallstreetcn has learned that Horizon’s founder and CEO Yu Kai has set several goals for the company’s future development. Quantifiable targets include producing ten million sets of HSD (Horizon SuperDrive) over the next 3-5 years; by 2026, increasing Horizon’s urban MPI (average interval mileage between manual takeovers) tenfold; and launching smart driving solutions based on Journey 6M into the 70,000-100,000 yuan entry-level market. This need for commercial expansion requires Horizon to evolve from a “technologically savvy car company” into a “business giant dominating the supply chain.” Such ambition calls for the kind of ruthlessness cultivated by CATL through extreme manufacturing and globalization. During his eight years at CATL, Zhu Wei was responsible for the passenger car and overseas energy storage businesses. He experienced CATL's rise from a dark horse to global supremacy and is well versed in the art of supply chain maneuvering. If Chen Liming established Horizon’s engineering standards from zero to one, Zhu Wei’s task is to lead Horizon from ten to a hundred. It’s no coincidence that Zhu Wei’s debut took place at a partnership event with a CATL subsidiary. Horizon and CATL have deep connections. Back in 2021, CATL was a joint lead investor for Horizon’s C2 funding round. In the summer of 2025, CATL partnered with Hello and Ant Group to establish “Zaofu Intelligent,” with Horizon providing Journey 6P chips and HSD systems. The core of this partnership is the “Rock Chassis.” Times Intelligence’s skateboard chassis and Horizon’s all-scenario assisted driving products are being deeply integrated—hardware and software. This is not just a business collaboration, but a reconstruction of the car’s “brain” and “skeleton.” As intelligent driving enters deeper waters, chip companies are no longer hidden solution providers. Through Zhu Wei, a former “CATL Executive President,” the bond between Horizon and CATL has evolved from capital and business ties to deep personnel integration. CATL represents the pinnacle of supply chain capability in China’s new energy vehicle industry, while Horizon holds the key to intelligence. This powerhouse alliance of “energy and intelligence” is highly attractive to second- and third-tier carmakers grappling with the choice between full-stack in-house development and external solutions for intelligent driving. A representative from Times Intelligence also told Wallstreetcn that the company is optimistic about intelligent driving, and that the Rock Chassis and smart driving offer an excellent path for deep hardware-software integration and collaborative growth. There has never been sentimentality in the auto industry’s competition—only the survival of the fittest. For Horizon, 2026 is the year of decisive battle. As urban NOA (navigation on autopilot) becomes widespread, the industry is entering the “close-combat” stage. Huawei’s Qian Kun, NVIDIA’s Orin, and the in-house solutions of various car companies are locked in intricate competition. Zhu Wei’s entry in some ways reflects Horizon’s strategic ambition. Leveraging Zhu’s accumulated resources in the passenger car market, Horizon needs to further expand its share among core clients and make inroads into more joint-venture brand territories. As for European, Southeast Asian, and other overseas markets, Zhu Wei’s international experience at Valeo and CATL will act as an accelerator. As Horizon advances its capital operations, a leadership team with both technical depth, strategic vision, and business acumen provides strong reassurance for the capital markets. Now, a group of people have come together around a shared cause and vision. But what counts in the real world is whether the new president can forge a path for Horizon through the intense price wars and technological iterations, leading it into the “Universal Benefit Era” of smart driving. As the first spring waters begin to rise, undercurrents surge. Zhu Wei’s chess move has only just begun. Risk warning & disclaimer The market has risks, and investment needs caution. This article does not constitute individual investment advice and does not take into account the particular investment objectives, financial circumstances, or needs of any specific user. Users should assess whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article suit their own situation. All investment made based on this article is at your own risk.