Ren Zhengfei
Also known as 任正非
Ren Zhengfei founded Huawei in 1987 and remains its chief executive. TIME included him on its 2025 TIME100 AI list. Born in 1944 into a rural family of schoolteachers, he entered an engineering institute in Chongqing in 1963 and joined the army's Engineering Corps in 1974. In June 2025 he said the United States had exaggerated Huawei's achievements and that the company's single chip remained one generation behind. In November 2025 he predicted an oversupply of computing power.
- Now at
- Huawei
Timeline
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1944
Born into a teaching family
He is born in 1944 into a rural family of schoolteachers.
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1963
Studying engineering in Chongqing
In 1963 he is admitted to the Chongqing Institute of Architectural Engineering.
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1974
Joining the Engineering Corps
As a soldier, he joins the military's Engineering Corps in 1974, tasked with establishing the Liao Yang Chemical Fiber Factory.
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1987
Founding Huawei
He founds Huawei in 1987 with a capital of CNY21,000.
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June 2025
Admitting a chip gap
In June 2025 he says the United States exaggerates Huawei's achievements and that its single chip is still one generation behind.
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2025
A TIME100 AI listing
TIME places him on its 2025 TIME100 AI list.
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November 2025
Forecasting a computing surplus
During a November 2025 meeting with International Collegiate Programming Contest contestants, he predicts an oversupply of computing power.
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As of October 2026
Huawei's chief executive
He remains Huawei's CEO, a post he has held since 1988.
Sources and credits
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