Jie Li
About Jie Li
Jie Li is the Chief Financial Officer of China Automotive Systems (CAAS) and has served in this role since September 2007; he previously served as Corporate Secretary beginning December 2004 and joined the company in September 2003. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Science and Technology of China and completed graduate studies in economics and business management at the Hubei Administration Institute; age 56 as of 2025 . His incentive compensation is tied to company-wide revenue growth thresholds, with CAAS accruing 25% of salary as a bonus in 2023 (≥5% YoY sales growth) and 50% in 2024 (≥10% YoY sales growth), signaling a direct linkage to top-line performance .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Automotive Systems | Corporate Secretary | Dec 2004–Sep 2007 | Supported governance and disclosure processes during public-company tenure |
| Jingzhou Jiulong Industrial Inc. | Assistant President | 1999–2003 | Senior leadership in industrial operations prior to joining CAAS |
| Jingzhou Tianxin Investment Management Co. Ltd. | General Manager | 2002–2003 | Led investment management operations; finance and management experience |
External Roles
- No current public company board roles disclosed in reviewed filings for Jie Li .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric ($USD thousands) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salary | 132 | 128 | 122 | 121 |
| Bonus | 66 | 32 | 31 | 61 |
| Total | 198 | 160 | 153 | 182 |
- The Board approved a salary structure for 2024: RMB 0.9 million (≈$0.12 million) for each officer other than Chairman/CEO, consistent with Jie Li’s reported 2024 salary .
Performance Compensation
| Year | Metric | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | YoY Sales Growth | 25% of salary if ≥5%; 50% if ≥10% | Company achieved ≥5% growth; accrued 25% of salary per NEO | 25% of annual salary (Jie Li bonus $31k) | Cash bonus; accrued for 2023 |
| 2024 | YoY Sales Growth | 25% of salary if ≥5%; 50% if ≥10% | Company achieved ≥10% growth; accrued 50% of salary per NEO | 50% of annual salary (Jie Li bonus $61k) | Cash bonus; accrued for 2024 |
- Grantees include Jie Li specifically among officers eligible for the performance bonus .
- No stock options granted to management in 2023 or 2024; no option exercises or stock vested for NEOs in those years .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| As-of Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Common Stock Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 2023 | 91,031 | 0.30% (30,185,702 shares outstanding) | Includes 50,000 shares held as nominee for Jingzhou Jiulong Machinery and Electronic Mfg. Co., Ltd. |
| Jul 30, 2024 | 147,031 | 0.49% (30,185,702 shares outstanding) | Includes transfer of 50,000 restricted shares from Wiselink to Jie Li; and 50,000 shares held as nominee as described |
- No pledging or hedging disclosures for Jie Li found in reviewed filings; no RSU/PSU awards disclosed .
- Option inventory appears inactive: plan exists but no grants in 2023/2024; no exercises reported .
Employment Terms
- Standard employment agreements for executive officers governed by PRC law: fixed 5-year term, renewable, with termination upon 30 days’ notice by the Company for suitability reasons; employees may terminate without cause upon one month’s notice; base salary subject to annual adjustment .
- Compensation for NEOs emphasizes base salary plus performance bonus; no other benefits/perquisites are provided, subject to Compensation Committee discretion .
- Stock option plan authorized through June 27, 2025; maximum shares 2,200,000; no 2024 grants to management .
- In connection with the redomicile to Cayman, indemnification agreements are to be entered into with directors and officer appointees, indemnifying against certain liabilities and expenses .
- Severance, change-of-control multiples, accelerated vesting terms, clawbacks, tax gross-ups: not disclosed in reviewed documents .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: Jie Li’s variable pay is directly tied to company-wide sales growth thresholds; CAAS accrued bonuses at 25% of salary in 2023 and 50% in 2024 as thresholds were met, indicating linkage to revenue momentum .
- Equity incentive risk: Absence of equity grants and exercises in 2023/2024 reduces long-term TSR alignment vs. equity-heavy structures; his personal stake is modest (0.49% in 2024), while the Chairman controls a majority of votes, limiting individual influence on governance outcomes .
- Retention and transition: Standard PRC employment terms with limited severance/change-of-control provisions disclosed suggest potentially lower contractual retention costs; indemnification provides legal protection but not economic retention .
- Related-party optics: Nominee share holdings and transfers associated with historical acquisitions involve Jie Li; while disclosed, such arrangements warrant monitoring for governance optics and potential conflict-of-interest considerations .