OPPO South Africa has announced the appointment of Jace Chen as the company’s new chief executive officer, marking a new chapter for the company as it moves from foundation-building to disciplined growth. The appointment coincides with OPPO’s fifth year in South Africa and signals a sharper focus on retail execution, operator partnerships and affordable innovation.
Chen, who first joined OPPO in 2016, helped establish the brand’s local footprint as Retail Director during its 2020 market entry, and later expanded competitive presence as Country Manager at realme. He returns with a mandate to deepen operator confidence, scale premium devices across prepaid and postpaid, and accelerate time-to-market.
“Our next phase is about reliability at retail and relevance to price-sensitive customers, while strengthen operator partnerships, says Chen. Our goal remains on ensuring that South African consumers get cutting-edge features at accessible price points, with excellent after-sales support.”
OPPO believes that unlocking new sales avenues comes down to affordability. The company will introduce new products that will likely increase other sales avenues, such as the post-paid and even cash segments.”
Chen’s appointment comes at a time when OPPO retains a 3% market share. His tenure kicks off with a new product range that will include the FX9 Pro, a premium, performance-first device, and the A6X, its most affordable smartphone yet, designed to expand choice for first-time smartphone buyers and value-seeking upgraders, while continuing to inspire and empower young South Africans.
OPPO has reached over 1.5 million users in South Africa, with devices available in more than 3,000 outlets nationwide. The company has created 600 local jobs and built brand equity through partnerships with the Springbok rugby team, Orlando Pirates Football Club and SA Fashion Week, alongside a vibrant community in gaming, sport and youth culture, despite market headwinds.
Chen succeeds Sam Zhang, who has been appointed OPPO Group CEO with a focus on expanding the company’s presence in Brazil. Zhang’s tenure in South Africa included establishing national distribution, brand partnerships and community programmes that underpin the company’s next phase.
“A distribution-first strategy remains South Africa’s most sustainable route to scale,” said Liam Faurie, Head of Go-to-Market & Operations, OPPO South Africa. “In an emerging market like South Africa, this strategy is sustainable. With his leadership, we’ll tighten operator collaboration and accelerate retail sell-out so customers can access reliable devices at the right price, nationwide, he says.
