by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – OPPO South Africa has announced the appointment of Jace Chen as Chief Executive Officer, signalling a new growth phase for the brand as it marks its fifth year in the local market.
The move underscores OPPO’s focus on retail execution, operator partnerships, and accessible innovation.
Chen, who joined OPPO in 2016, played a pivotal role in establishing the brand’s retail footprint during its 2020 market entry.
He later led competitive expansion as Country Manager at realme. Returning to OPPO, Chen is tasked with strengthening operator confidence, accelerating go-to-market strategies, and scaling premium and affordable devices across prepaid and post-paid segments.
“Our next phase is about reliability at retail and relevance to price-sensitive customers,” said Chen. “We aim to ensure South Africans enjoy cutting-edge technology at accessible price points, backed by excellent after-sales support.”
Chen’s tenure begins alongside the launch of two new smartphones – the flagship FX9 Pro and the A6X, OPPO’s most affordable device yet – designed to broaden consumer choice and empower first-time smartphone buyers.
With over 1.5 million local users and products available in 3,000 retail outlets, OPPO has become a key player in South Africa’s mobile market, supporting 600 local jobs and partnering with iconic brands such as the Springbok rugby team, Orlando Pirates, and SA Fashion Week.
Chen succeeds Sam Zhang, who now leads OPPO’s expansion in Brazil after successfully laying the foundation for the brand’s South African operations.
– CAJ News