New leaders down under for MG
SAIC Motor International has appointed Qing Zhang as its new chief executive officer for Australia and New Zealand, with the role including leadership of the MG brand in both markets.
Zhang, who also retains his role as vice-president at SAIC Motor International, has experience from SAIC Motor Group and the international market, with a track record of leading diverse teams, driving business growth and supporting markets through periods of transformation.
His association with SAIC Motor dates to the four years he spent from 1998 working in vehicle sales in Shanghai, China.
After a number of managerial roles in the automotive industry he rejoined the group in 2012 and was chief executive at SAIC Motor Italy from November 2020 to December 2025.
The company says Zhang, pictured, will work closely with the ANZ leadership team, spending regular time in the region to provide direction, alignment and support as the MG Motor brand continues to grow locally.
To further strengthen its local leadership team, Felix Jiang has been named senior vice-president for ANZ and will be based in Sydney.
He has “a strong understanding of how to translate strategy into effective on-the-ground execution” and will work with local teams to drive effective coordination and seamless day-to-day delivery across the ANZ business.
SAIC Motor notes that as MG enters its 10th year in ANZ, these appointments reflect its confidence in the local market and focus on elevating its dealer partnerships as it moves into the brand’s next phase of growth.
Zhang replaces current ANZ chief executive officer Peter Ciao, who will assume an advisory role to ensure a smooth transition for local staff, dealers, partners and customers.
“SAIC Motor has established an excellent footing in the ANZ market over the past decade, and we now look forward with great excitement to fuelling our next phase of growth by introducing innovative products that deeply resonate with and meet local demands,” says Zhang.
“I’d like to express sincere thanks to Peter for his leadership over the past eight years.
“Peter has played a significant role in establishing and growing our presence in the ANZ market, notably through the development of our excellent local team, a strong and committed dealer network, and investment in the MG Motor brand. Most importantly, always striving to deliver great value to our customers.”
Ciao adds he is proud of the achievements the company has made in Australia and New Zealand.
“The ANZ MG owner family is around 300,000 strong and growing every day, showing how our local dealer partners and customers have placed their trust in the MG Motor brand so wholeheartedly.
“Our local team have been incredibly committed to our growth ambitions and I look forward to supporting the new senior leadership as SAIC Motor embarks on a new era in Australia and New Zealand.”
