When Wang Chuanfu, CEO of Chinese EV company BYD, told shareholders in Shenzhen this week that the company would become the world’s largest automaker within five years, he pointed to growing production and sales overseas as one of the major paths to get there.
As BYD faces increasing pressure at home, this international expansion has become a vital part of the company’s business model. At the forefront of this is Chuanfu’s long-time partner, Stella Li, BYD’s executive VP and CEO of America. Over her 30-year career at the Chinese EV and technology giant, Li has overseen the company’s transformation from its origins as a maker of mobile phone batteries to the world’s top seller of electric vehicles.
She’s widely seen as the architect of the company’s rapid international expansion. In an interview, Li told Fortune she spends roughly 70% of her time traveling, meeting government officials, hiring local executives, and personally shaping pricing and product strategy market by market. She also leads the company’s roadshows, touring countries to demonstrate BYD’s newest offerings.
In April, when Li arrived at the Paris Opera House to showcase the European launch of BYD’s newest luxury car—flanked by ballerinas and opera singers—it was clear why some colleagues had dubbed BYD’s international roadshow: “The Stella Show.”
