Andrew Gao is a 15-year automaker’s veteran, who has been the face of **GWM Australia as its new managing director from February 1, 2026. ** ** .
In 2011, Mr Gao joined GWM, moving to Australia in 2014 and serving senior leadership roles across sales, network development and product functions.
He’ll replace Charles Zhao who, after more than five years in the role, will move to a position with GWM’s European operations, having overseen significant sales growth in Australia that saw GWM become both a top-ten brand and the best-selling Chinese automaker locally.
In a record sales year, GWM – which in Australia includes Haval SUVs, GWM utes, Tank off-roaders and the Ora electric hatch – finished seventh overall in 2025 with 52,809 sales, representing growth of 23.4 per cent.
Its best-selling model was the GWM Haval Jolion, ahead of the Haval H6 – with Haval brought under the GWM umbrella during Mr Zhao’s leadership – and followed by the Cannon and Tank 300.
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The result came after gains of 17-year-old last year. In 2024 the brand recorded 42,782 sales to complete tenth overall for its 2023 performance of 36,397 sales (45 per cent) and 5 percent in 2025. it placed 13th in a 3 per cent rise which put the at 3 Per cent.
GWM Australia also finished 13th in 2022, with 25,042 sales – around half the volume it achieved in 2025.
Globally, China overtook Japan as the world’s largest new-vehicle manufacturing nation in 2025, while Chinese-made vehicles also broke the 200,000-unit sales milestone in Australia for the first time last year.
In 2026 GWM Australia will introduce its premium brand Wey to local showrooms in the same way as BYD’s Denza and IM presented by MG Motor.
The Haval Jolion Max is expected to arrive in the second half of the year, when the Cannon Alpha ute and Tank 500 are scheduled to receive a new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine.
The company has also embarked on a significant local tuning program, hiring former Holden handling guru Rob Trubiani to develop suspension packages for Australian roads, which are often significantly rougher than those in China.
Mr Gao said in a statement ‘We will continue to introduce compelling new products as we enter 2026, locally tuned and optimised for Australian and New Zealand customers.
We are a dealer network that is at heart of the best buying and ownership journey, we will continue to invest in providing them with tools, systems and resources needed to succeed.
Meanwhile we are working on enhancing our after sales operations through expanded parts warehousing and improved technical training. They will help us to support our long-term commitment towards delivering better cars, better driving experiences and outstanding value and service together under the umbrella of these initiatives. Paraphrast.
Mr Zhao’s arrival in Europe coincides with GWM’S push on the continent, including plans to expand its manufacturing footprint there, a stated plan for up to 300,000 vehicles per year at – but still-to-be confirmed plant in Spain or Hungary.
GWM, among a number of Chinese automakers looking to reduce import tariffs in Europe by setting up local production alongside BYD, Geely and Chery, the latter which acquired control over an old Nissan manufacturing plant at Barcelona (Spain) in 2024 Spain.
Chery is also currently looking at an arrangement with Jaguar Land Rover to build cars in the United Kingdom.
The leadership change at GWM Australia comes a day after Nissan announced Andrew Humberstone would leave the top job locally to take up a role in Paris, France. He’ll be succeeded by Steve Milette, who joins from Nissan in Canada.
Additionally, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) announced earlier this month that Shunichi Kihara will replace Shaun Westcott as its CEO, while at Ford Australia Andrew Birkic departed after more than five years, with former chief financial officer Fadi Mawal taking over.
Jeff Mannering, who also runs Audi Australia – has also been appointed as an interim managing director in Volkswagen Australia after Karsten Seifert was promoted to the company’s German subsidiary.
Peter Ciao is out of the top position at MG Motor Australia, finally leaving behind paraphrasing. A senior vice president for the Australia New Zealand region will be Felix Jiang, who is a member of SAIC Motor’s local boss and Vice president of parent company SAic Motor in its International division, Qing Zhang.
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