“The current market is not as competitive as it is presented to us” Kenny Li, CEO of Honor in Europe

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We had the opportunity to interview Kenny Li, new CEO of Honor in Europe, shortly after the return of the Chinese brand to our country.

Kenny Li didn’t shy away from any questions and we were able to have a friendly chat about everything that has happened over the past two years, the present and the future that awaits Honor in Europe.

Interview with Kenny Li, Honor’s new CEO in Europe

Just the day before the interview at the HONOR headquarters here in Madrid, we knew the exact date of the brand’s return to try and regain the ground lost due to all the events with Huawei and its fight with the United States. .

We didn’t want to go into detail either, as it hasn’t been easy for many of Honor’s employees who have somehow gone through Huawei in previous years.

The only certainty is that Honor is here again with a lot of enthusiasm, all the emotion in the world and with a Value proposition with which to break through again in Europe.

Kenny Li was able to convey in the interview that Honor has special affection for Spanish users and our land, a flag for many companies that have found in Europe the basis for further development throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

What are the main challenges you will face as an Honorary CEO and Country Manager in Europe?

Huawei’s performance was simply outstanding in the Spanish market, and Honor has a responsibility to bring that leadership in technology and product experience back to the Spanish consumer.

My job and that of my team is to finish what Huawei did before and to offer the Spanish user these products so integrated in their daily life.

Most of my equipment and myself are from Huawei. Our goal is to return to serving consumers with cutting edge technology again.

How do you see the rest of the competition here in Europe?

One of the reasons I love consumers in this country is that how open and passionate he is to test new solutions, products, systems and other brands.

For a new brand like Honor, the decision to move from here to Europe was a very smart one. That’s why I love this country.

We’re a technology company, not a marketing company, and our commitment is to deliver complete experiences over time. We are not a two day product, but we want to leave our mark on the consumer for years to come.

A clear example is the Honor 50 which emphasizes photography to meet the current needs of millions of users around the world who use apps like TikTok which demand the best technology in the camera.

What is your view of the current smartphone market around the world?

The current market it is not as competitive as it is presented to usbecause there are many opportunities for new brands.

I’ll give you some information. At the start of this year, Honor’s market share in China was 2%, the same number as Samsung, while currently our share is 13%.

We almost grew up at 2% per month in this year 2021. China is a huge and huge market and 13% means a lot.

Coming back to what has been said, the market seems very competitive, but it is not that much. On our side, we have the leadership in technology and innovation, and with the mission to serve our consumers in the long term.

Europe will therefore become a key market for Honor

Yes, not just for me but for the rest of my team (laughs).

A country like ours has been the gateway to many Chinese brands

Yes, Europe is the country where many Chinese companies are located and for us this new start we do with the benefit of the good taste left by Huawei as a tech giant.

Speaking of giants, some are falling into the sector of the smartphone market as has happened to LG

Our strength here is to be leaders in technology and innovation. Now is the time for us to show it when in recent years we have been assured of such a possibility.

Changing the subject, how did the agreements with Qualcomm and Google go? Were they easy?

I still get this question often (general laughs). This is how it can be the collaboration that Microsoft can take with Intel. Ultimately, we all need each other.

Everything went as it should without any problems.

What is the roadmap for Honor in Europe?

We have a very important date for him August 12 with a global presentation that will kick off the brand. A high-end device awaits you all, of which we cannot give details for obvious reasons.

We could put pressure on the market by launching entry-level and low-end phones in a pretty straightforward way, but we haven’t decided that way, we want to go towards the high-end smartphone line.

What we want is to be one marca prime. And premium doesn’t mean an almost prohibitive product in price, but rather that our consumers are proud of our devices.

August 12th will be a very important date for us to be a premium brand and show the world what we can do.

As a premium brand, will you be in direct competition with Samsung and others?

We compete year after year to improve the experience and satisfaction of our consumers.

Among the mobiles that you are going to launch, what are their main aspects? The camera, its playing possibilities?

We have extensive experience in the capabilities of our cameras for photography and video from a smartphone. This will be one of the key points of our next terminals, just like the design as we can see in the Honor 50.

Do you already have agreements with operators like Movistar, Orange and more here in Europe?

Yes, both with mobile operators and we will sell through online and offline channel.

Will there be some kind of special promotion when the brand returns?

Our subscribers and consumers are our greatest asset and in a way, they are our greatest means of promotion by being proud of our products.

As I mentioned above, we could make this all very easy by going for other lower prices, but our bet is on the brand value and the experience that our devices generate.

Will we see any folds, watches and other types of Honor devices soon?

Yes, we are even going to launch laptops and enter the tablet segment. Our strength as humans is in the connection we have with each other, and that’s where Honor wants to be a part of that communication between people.

The connection between different devices will be one of the keys and innovation of Honor and we want to extend it to all possible categories.

As the penultimate question, where do you think we’re going with the technology in 5 years?

The world will be a smarter place thanks to artificial intelligence. AI will be the key differentiator of technology for years to come.

Artificial Intelligence will be able to manage all the devices you have connected at home, it knows your habits, what you like and what you don’t like.

AI will be the key for the next few years and this is where Honor has accumulated experience in recent years.

What is the final message you want to send to our readers?

Our job as a brand will be to offer consumers the technology with which they can be a little better than yesterday, as well as a little happier than the day before. If Honor is able to do so, our goal will be achieved.

We have suffered a lot in recent years and we are back to transfer that same spirit into these very special times that we are all experiencing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are stronger than yesterday and we want to transmit this energy to the Spanish consumer, starting our journey in Europe again.

Thank you very much for the interview, it was a pleasure, and from our side we want to wish you the best for the next few years when you return to the Spanish market.

We finally find ourselves with the small bamboo plant offered for the occasion by Honor which shows that they are again small to grow and thus take back the lost space in Europe.

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