Luminar appoints former Harman executive to lead China expansion

Luminar appoints former Harman executive to lead China expansion

Former Harman International Greater China President Chen Yu will promote Luminar's key production projects and business growth

Shanghai, China – September 15, 2022 – Luminar, a global leader in automotive lidar hardware and software technology, announced the appointment of Dr. Jackie Chen as Head of China to lead the expansion of Luminar’s business in China and establish a local engineering, production supply chain, and business development management team to support key partners in the Chinese market.

"As Luminar continues to invest in the Chinese market, we are in urgent need of a top executive to help us take the helm and expand our business," said Austin Russell, founder and CEO of Luminar. "Chen's successful experience in the local automotive industry and his outstanding leadership will be invaluable to us as we work with local partners, including SAIC and Ecarx, and expand our business in China with global OEM partners." 

Prior to joining Luminar, Dr. Chen Yu served as President of Harman International Greater China, leading the Greater China region to achieve $1 billion in sales. Harman International is a leading global supplier of automotive solutions and lifestyle solutions for professional and consumer audio products. Prior to this, he also served as Chief Technology Officer of Greater China and Asia Pacific and President of the Automotive Division of Schaeffler Group, a leading global supplier of automotive and industrial products.

“As a leader in automotive safety and autonomous driving, Luminar has established successful partnerships with well-known brands in the market,” said Dr. Yu Chen. “During this critical period of the company’s development, I look forward to working closely with our China team to accelerate the strong momentum of Luminar’s business in China.”