Chery International has anchored UK ambitions for its new Lepas brand with the appointment of its leadership team.

L-R: Gary Lan, CEO of Lepas UK, with MD Ray Wang

Marking a major milestone in the carmaker’s market introduction, Gary Lan joins as CEO of Lepas UK. Lan retains his role as chief executive of Omoda&Jaecoo UK and will also oversee the strategic development of the Lepas brand in the UK.

Lan will work closely with Ray Wang, who joins Lepas UK as managing director, supporting the operational development of the brand and helping establish its retail, commercial and marketing foundations. Wang previously worked with Omoda and Jaecoo following their UK launches in 2024 and 2025, giving him valuable experience in introducing and growing a new OEM in the British market.

Chery, the largest exporter of cars from China for 23 consecutive years, revealed its plans to bring the Lepas brand to the UK at the start of the year alongside the existing Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery brands, as the group continues its UK offensive.

Lepas – whose name is a portmanteau of ‘Leopard’, ‘Leap’ and ‘Passion’ – is “designed to appeal to customers seeking intelligent design, authenticity and a more expressive ownership experience”.

First to arrive will be the Lepas L8 flagship SUV, scheduled to go on sale later this year as a rival to the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 rival.

Lan said: “Introducing Lepas to the UK represents an exciting new chapter for our global business. The British market is one of the most dynamic and competitive in Europe, and we are committed to building a brand that delivers innovation, strong value and a high-quality customer experience.”

Ray Wang, MD of Lepas UK, added: “Lepas arrives with a clear ambition to establish itself as a distinctive new choice for UK customers. Working alongside Gary and the wider team, we look forward to building a strong organisation and the dedicated retail network that supports the brand’s long-term success in this market.”

Further details on the Lepas line-up, technology and dedicated retail network will be announced in the coming months as the new company builds its presence in the UK market.