Scania launches VNBC China for energy transition and autonomous transport, appoints Kelly Fu as regional lead

Scania has launched Venture & New Business China, a dedicated platform focused initially on energy transition and autonomous transport through partnerships, customer collaborations and new ventures.

The new Venture & New Business China (VNBC) organization will identify, develop and pilot business opportunities in the Chinese market, according to Scania. Kelly Fu has been appointed Regional Lead for China Venture & New Business at Scania Group.

The initiative forms part of Scania’s long-term development activities in China and is intended to operate alongside the group’s existing commercial and industrial presence in the country. Scania says VNBC will work with customers and external partners to test technologies and business models in market applications and develop knowledge for future transport solutions.

Scania Venture & New Business China is born

VNBC will initially concentrate on energy transition and autonomous transport, two areas identified by Scania as having potential applications in heavy transport. Activities will include the development of ecosystem partnerships and the exploration of business models for bringing new transport solutions to market.

Strategic partnerships, customer collaborations and new ventures will be used as channels for these activities. According to Scania, the platform will support Scania Group China’s current business development while building capabilities related to electrified and autonomous transport.

The company plans to use partnerships to test technologies and commercial models in real-world applications. VNBC will also engage with local governments and ecosystem partners in different parts of China to identify potential areas of collaboration.

Scania’s activities in the country currently include the Scania and NEXT ERA commercial offerings together with local research and development, procurement and production capabilities. The manufacturer identifies this local structure as the foundation from which VNBC will develop and test solutions with Chinese customers and partners.

Nantong and Rugao industrial presence to support Scania’s China pilot projects

Scania identifies the Nantong and Rugao region as one of the environments where new solutions can be tested and piloted. The region hosts Scania’s third industrial production hub and will be used for projects involving customers and external partners.

The combination of production, R&D and procurement operations provides VNBC with locally based capabilities for developing projects in China. The platform will operate within this structure while also establishing partnerships outside Scania’s existing operations.

Kelly Fu will lead the initiative in China. According to Scania, her professional background includes investment banking, digital mobility, commercial-vehicle technology and new-business development.

Fu previously spent six years at DiDi, including a period as General Manager of its Beijing Office. She subsequently worked in investment at G7 and was involved in the company’s merger with E6. Her more recent work has covered start-ups and emerging technologies in heavy-duty battery-electric and hydrogen transport.

Scania credits VNBC with a dual remit covering current business development in China and longer-term activities associated with electrified and autonomous transport. The company also identifies collaboration with customers, technology partners, local governments and other ecosystem participants as part of the platform’s operating model.

In brief

• What is Scania Venture & New Business China?
  VNBC is a dedicated Scania platform for identifying, developing and piloting new business opportunities in China.
• Which areas will VNBC initially address?
  Its initial focus will be energy transition and autonomous transport, including related partnerships and business models.
• Who will lead the new organization?
  Kelly Fu has been appointed Regional Lead for China Venture & New Business at Scania Group.
• Where will Scania test new solutions in China?
  Scania identifies the Nantong and Rugao region, home to its third industrial production hub, as an environment for testing and pilot activities.

“China combines the scale of the world’s largest truck market with one of the world’s fastest-moving technology and innovation landscapes,” says Kelly Fu. “For Scania, that creates an opportunity not only to serve customers here but also to build new solutions together with local partners. We will start with local customer needs, bring together complementary capabilities, test solutions in the market and scale those that create real commercial value. Venture & New Business has a dual role in China. We support Scania Group China’s growth today, while building the capabilities needed to strengthen our position in an increasingly electrified and autonomous transport ecosystem over time. By working with partners, we can rapidly test technologies and business models in real-world applications, build valuable insights and use those learnings to shape the transport solutions of the future,” says Gustaf Sundell, Executive Vice President and Head of Ventures and New Business at Scania.

“Scania’s development in China is a long-term commitment,” says Camilla Dewoon, Executive Vice President of Scania Group and Head of Scania Group China. “China is an important market for Scania, both commercially and strategically. Kelly’s experience across investment, digital transport and emerging technologies brings a strong combination of perspectives to Venture & New Business. VNBC gives us a dedicated platform to work with customers, partners and the wider ecosystem to explore new opportunities and develop solutions for the future of transport. By combining local insight with Scania’s global capabilities, we can turn insights into action, build new partnerships and help accelerate future transport solutions.”