Why Huawei’s Cloud Business Stumbles: Leadership, Politics, and Management Issues Unpacked

Ren Zhengfei’s recent speech to the enterprise and cloud business reporting meeting sparked intense discussion within Huawei’s internal community, with many participants sharing critical comments.

First: Evenly Matched Leadership Team – The lack of unity among senior leaders has spilled over to lower levels, creating a chain of fragmented authority where each layer cannot control the next, leading to a stagnant and conflicted organization.

Second: Politically Neutral, Inaction‑Prone Executives – Fear of taking decisive action has resulted in a “pause” across the Cloud BG, with indecision on product versions and sales strategies causing endless debates without concrete outcomes.

Third: Proliferation of Self‑Styled Presidents/CTOs – Numerous executives claim high‑level titles without the corresponding competence, focusing on internal resource grabs rather than genuine commercial success, which hampers collaboration and product development.

Fourth: Aging Management Team Lacking Ambition – Many senior managers, now in their late 30s to 40s, exhibit risk‑averse behavior and prioritize personal security over innovation, resulting in outdated decision‑making and an inability to drive the business forward.

Overall, the commentary suggests that before attempting to restructure the Cloud business, Huawei must first address the deep‑seated leadership and management problems that are currently undermining its effectiveness.