Chinese telecommunications equipment company Huawei has promised to hire 500 staff in its South African operation in the next five years, a growth of 50% from its current 1 000 staff, as it ramps up operations in the local market.
The company’s newly appointed South Africa CEO Steven Wu made the remarks at a World Economic Forum event in Cape Town this week.
At the same time, Reuters reports that Wu said Huawei expects to double smartphone imports into South AFrica, reaching 2m this year. “Last year we sold a million devices and this year, in 2015, we will double the shipment,” he is quoted as having said.
“As the second largest economy in Africa, South Africa is an important market for Huawei,” Wu said in a statement.
Wu will be responsible for the company’s day-to-day business operations, which includes looking after telecommunications operators, business users and retail consumers.
He quoted recent Ipsos research that shows Huawei’s brand awareness in South Africa rose from 26% in 2013 to 86% in 2014.
Wu joined Huawei in 1999 and has held a number of senior management positions with the company, including CEO of Huawei Technologies Africa. — (c) 2015 NewsCentral Media