Lenovo reshuffles leadership amid AI-driven growth and DeepSeek adoption

The world’s largest PC maker named a new CFO and board members after months of double-digit growth and aggressive AI adoption

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Published: 5:00pm, 21 Feb 2025

Lenovo Group, the world’s largest maker of personal computers, has reshuffled its board and named a new chief financial officer (CFO) after three quarters of strong revenue growth, as the Chinese technology giant doubles down on artificial intelligence (AI) and moves to adopt DeepSeek’s models.

Lenovo promoted John Thornton, who was serving as independent non-executive director, to lead independent director, taking over for William Grabe, who stepped down on Friday after 19 years on the board, the company said in a statement.

Thornton, a former Goldman Sachs president and now a director of global leadership at Tsinghua University in Beijing, is also the lead director at US companies Ford Motor and SparkCognition.

Lenovo also appointed independent non-executive director Gordon Orr as the chairman of the compensation committee, and said that Tudor Brown exited the board after serving as independent non-executive director for 12 years.

Wong Waiming, Lenovo’s current CFO and Laura Quatela, chief legal and corporate responsibility officer, will both retire on March 31 this year and join the company’s board as non-executive directors.

Current deputy CFO Winston Cheng will replace Wong as Lenovo’s new CFO from April, and current general counsel for the intelligent devices group David Carroll will become the new chief legal and corporate responsibility officer, according to Lenovo.

The leadership changes come as the company sees positive results from its all-out efforts in AI.