Hikvision NA President Jeffrey He 'Promoted' / Removed

By John Honovich, Published Aug 01, 2018, 08:49am EDT (Info+)

With an impending US government ban of their products, financial struggles and increasing scrutiny of Hikvision human rights abuse, Hikvision has promoted their long-term North American President Jeffrey He.

Inside this note, we examine:

  • He's North America replacement from China
  • How Hikvision handled this much smarter than Dahua's recent International move
  • How this impacts the ~400 US employees now reporting to the new GM
  • What Hikvision's future outlook is

Announcement ********

********* **** * ******* ******** ****** '********* ***** ******* ************** ******' ** ******* ****. ***** *** a ****** ** ******** ***** ********** are ********* ******** *****:

  • ******* ********** *** ******* ********* *** the ******** ****** ** ********* *********** that *********'* "********** ** ************ *** remained * *** *********** ** *** we ***".
  • ********* **** **** *** "*********** *** necessary ********* ** **** ******* *** current ***********" *** ***** ** ** explanation ** **** **** '***********' **, though ***** *********'* ****** ******* ********* (e.g.,*,*,*) **** *** **** ***** *********'* political ********, ** ***** ** ********** to ****** ** ** ********.
  • ** **** *** "***** ** * range ** ********* **********" *** ********* offers ** *********** ** **** ***** challenges ***.
  • *******, ********* ********* ********* ** **** they *** *** ******* *** * press ******* (**** ******** *** ******* promotions) *** ******** ** ********* ** these '**********' *** '***********'.

Promotion ********

*** ******** ********* *** *********:

******* ** *** **** ******** ** Vice ********* **** ******** ********* ******* Technology **., *** *** **** ****** President ** ********* *** *** ****** Inc., ** ***** ** * ***** of ********* **********.

****: "******** ********* ******* ********** **" is *** ****** **** *** ********* China ***** ********* *** ** *** 100% ***** ********** ** ******** ********* Digital ********** **.

Face ** ********* **

******* *********'* ******* ****** ******** *** controversy, ******* ** ** **** ********* by ********* ******* *** *** **** the **** ** ********* ** *** US *** **** **** *****, *.*.,*** ******* ***** **** ******** ***** to ***** *** ***** *** ************ **** ****:

**, ****** ****** ******* ******* ******** managers, *** ********* ********** *** ************* in *** ******* ********, ***** ********* contributed ** *** ***** * ******** executive.

New ** ********

**'* *********** ******** *** ** ************ is**** ****, *** ********* **** *** ******** University ** ******* *** ********** ** 2008, **** ********* **********:

**** **** *** **** ******** ** the ******** ** ******* *******, ********* North *******, ***** ** **** **** oversight **** *** ************’* ******** *********.

**** *** **** ** *** ** the **** *** *****, **** ******** as *** ****** ********, ********* *** Global ******** (***/*** ********), *********** *** ******** *******.

Hikvision *** ********* ******

*** **** ********* ****** ** ** Hikvision *** *********. *********'* ***** ****, in **********, *** ******** ******* ******** people, *** ***** *** ** ** outsider **** ******* ********** ********** *** local *********. ** *** ***** ****, the **** ********* ****** ** ********* salespeople ** *** ********* ** ********** ban.

Retreat ** ***

** ****** ********* **** ******* ** SMB *** **** **** **** ** part ** **** ********. *** **** banning ********* ******** *** ****** ************** with *** ****** *** [******]**** *** ***** *** ****** **** passed **, ******* ** ** *** President ** **** ** **** ***.

***** ****, ********* ** ****** ******* planning *** ** '***********' ***** ***** products **** **** ******** *** ** government ***.

Versus ***** ****

*********'* ******** ** **** **** ** much ****** **** *****'*. ***** ************ ***** ****-**** ******** ******** ****, **** **** *******, ****** **** no *** ***** **** ******* *** face ** ***** ******** ******** *** gone. ** ********, ********* *********** ************ to ***** *******, ******* ** ** a ********* ** ******* ***** *** save ****.

Vote / ****

UPDATE: ** *********** ** '************* ****** *******'

** ********* ****, ** *** ******* from ***** ********* ** ********* *** / ****** *** ** *** *** VP *** '************* ****** *******' ******* primarily **** ******** / ******** ******* the ** ********** *** *** *********.

Comments (22)

Undisclosed #1

08/01/18 12:54pm

I voted "Not Sure" because that was the closest option to "put on a shelf". I do not think this is a promotion in any way, and he has not been removed per se. 

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny: 5

Undisclosed Integrator #2

08/01/18 02:48pm

Politely put to pasture is more like it.  It could soon be a new day/dusk for Hik and also Dahua.  Curious, what pct was govt business to both companies?  

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 08/01/18 02:51pm

what pct was govt business to both companies?

Quite low for both, single-digit percentage points. The problem is the branding impact as a lot of non-governmental but government-related entities will disqualify Dahua and Hikvision because of this.

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative: 2
Unhelpful: 1
Funny

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 08/01/18 07:50pm

Curious, what pct was govt business to both companies?

I think that government business was very low overall, but they had big aspirations of getting into that market. Signs are now pointing to Hikua being firmly cordoned off into the lower-end/SMB market segment.

It will be interesting to see what kind of presence Hikvision has at ASISGSX, and ISC West 2019. Their big spending made sense to try and court larger customers and integrators, but would be less common for a manufacturer that funnels most of their business through ADI sales and counter days.

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 08/01/18 11:07pm

It will be interesting to see what kind of presence Hikvision has at ASISGSX

Hikvision has pulled out of ASIS / GSX. We will have more details tomorrow but that's a notable and very recent move.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 2
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Integrator #3

In reply to John Honovich | 08/02/18 12:32am

Well... it is GSX.  Pretty sure everyone is pulling out of that mess.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny: 1

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #3 | 08/02/18 12:37am

Lol, yes, but Hikvision did not just pull out because they just realized GSX is a mess...

Related: ASIS GSX Show Struggling Getting Exhibitors

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 08/02/18 01:29am

Ouch. The shows are usually not very forgiving of things like that. Doubtful Hik is getting their deposit back. It’s 2 months before the show, and they had a huge booth. That’s got to be at least $50K lost. 

Meanwhile, GSX has a giant hole to fill in the middle of the floor. That’s gonna be one hell of a ‘partner lounge’. Maybe they will use Hik’s deposit to buy everyone a free 5 minute chair massage or something. 

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny: 3

John Honovich

IPVM | 08/01/18 11:08pm

Update: the Senate passed the bill today, it goes now to Trump to sign into law, more on this tomorrow.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Michael Miller

In reply to John Honovich | 08/02/18 03:31am

The article only mentions ZTE and Huawei.  Have you confirmed Hikvision and Dahua are included? 

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Michael Miller | 08/02/18 10:32am

Mike, you are asking if I would publicly state something this serious without proof???

That article only mentions ZTE and Huawei because those two are much better known to mainstream audiences.

Here is the final conference report / bill, sections below with all companies impacted listed:

Our dedicated post on this will be up shortly this morning. Update: US Congress Passes Bill Banning Dahua and Hikvision

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Sean Nelson

Nelly's Security
08/02/18 01:14am

Going in SMB is the right move anyways, this is Hiks bread and butter and always has been. I got a chance to speak in length with him a couple weeks ago. Very well spoken and I was surprised by his light heartedness and sense of humor. 

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative: 3
Unhelpful: 1
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Sean Nelson | 08/02/18 01:19am

Sean, he should love you! :)

In all seriousness, I have heard a few positive reports of Chen, so that's good to hear.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | 08/02/18 11:57am

Note I changed the title to append 'Removed'. Given the additional news that they dropped out of ASIS and Congress passing the bill banning, it is obvious this is not a genuine 'promotion'.

Agree
Disagree: 1
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed #6

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 08/03/18 06:42am

Note I changed the title to append 'Removed'. Given the additional news that they dropped out of ASIS and Congress passing the bill banning, it is obvious this is not a genuine 'promotion'.

At Dahua, removed + promotion = rotation.

Agree
Disagree: 1
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

08/02/18 12:04pm

I would have voted "future Organ Donor" but that wasn't an option :) 

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful: 2
Funny: 3

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4 | 08/02/18 12:09pm

Jeffrey was loyal to Hikvision and worked really hard to do what China wanted, under extremely difficult conditions. I doubt they are happy right now but I don't see them reasonably blaming him.

Agree: 3
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Salvatore D'Agostino

IDmachines | 08/02/18 01:29pm

How about the extent of the OEM relationships impacted here with other companies and private label?

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Salvatore D'Agostino | 08/02/18 01:37pm

Sal, Hikvision US OEM business is likely to be hurt, especially among the bigger OEMs who are likely going to be afraid to have to disclose they are relabelling equipment banned for US government use.

Agree
Disagree: 1
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed #5

08/02/18 03:05pm

China/Chinese companies do not like any type of bad press so this a way to put a "spin" on this type of news...This is how all communist regimes work !

Agree: 1
Disagree: 1
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny: 1

Damith Jayasinghe

08/03/18 05:46am

they also just removed their Australia head as well for no real apparent reason.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 3
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Damith Jayasinghe | 08/06/18 12:12pm

Damith, thanks. I confirmed that with another source. He is Daniel Huang, featured in this 2017 interview defending Hikvision.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny
Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts reporting, tutorials and software funded by subscriber's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.
Loading Related Reports