Foxconn replaces iPhone business chief after tumultuous year of protests and zero-Covid woes in China
- The Taiwanese firm named Michael Chiang as head of its iPhone assembly operations as it seeks to elevate younger executives to maintain supply chain leadership
- Former head Wang Charng-yang remains a director, and his departure is not connected to the Covid-related output disruptions last year
Michael Chiang was first identified in his new role at Taiwan-based Foxconn’s annual year-end party on Sunday, succeeding long-time leader Wang Charng-yang as head of the division responsible for iPhone assembly. Chiang was recently promoted to chief of the A business group as Wang steps back to focus on a role on the board, according to people familiar with the matter.
Chiang is a long-time Foxconn manager who has helped the company meet the high standards Apple requires, according to one of the people, who asked not to be named discussing internal matters. Wang, who was appointed to Hon Hai’s board in the summer of 2022, remains a director and his departure from the iPhone operations role isn’t connected to the Covid-related output disruptions Foxconn suffered last year, the people said.
Chiang has a master’s degree in human resources development from California’s Claremont Graduate University and he joined Foxconn in 1999, according to a wide-ranging interview he did with an insurance broker company that was posted online in June 2021.
When Foxconn encountered unprecedented worker unrest at its main iPhone campus in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou late last year, Chiang played a pivotal role in communicating with the local government and making sure Apple’s demands would be satisfied, one of the people said.
The appointment highlights Foxconn’s efforts in recent years to foster a younger cohort of executives to help the company navigate prolonged tensions between Washington and Beijing, diversify its manufacturing bases outside of China, and fend off Chinese challengers including Luxshare Precision Industry Co.