The Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards are set to take place on November 20, and you can follow all the exciting updates from our website. As always, we will recognize and celebrate the most significant devices and technologies of the year. This year’s gala marks the fourth edition, where we will also present the prestigious Xataka Leyenda award.
This esteemed recognition, previously awarded to Pedro Duque in 2021, Margrethe Vestager in 2022, and Matt Mullenweg in 2023, acknowledges the journey and career of individuals who have made significant contributions to science and technology.
We are thrilled to announce our fourth winner of this award: Stella Li, the Global Executive Vice President of BYD, a company that has revolutionized the automotive industry.
Stella Li will join us at the Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards gala, where we will conduct an in-depth interview with her. This will be a unique opportunity for you to gain insights directly from one of the most influential figures in the automotive industry.
Almost Three Decades of Total Transformation
Over the span of nearly three decades, Stella Li has played a pivotal role at BYD. She started with the company when it was a modest battery manufacturer catering to Motorola, employing just a couple of dozen people. Today, she oversees operations in 88 countries with a workforce nearing one million and annual revenues surpassing $100 billion .
In 2024, BYD achieved a remarkable milestone, manufacturing 4.27 million electric vehicles , outperforming every competitor globally. Earlier this year, Li was honored as the World Car Person of the Year 2025, marking her as the first woman and the first Chinese recipient of this accolade.
Li’s philosophy is straightforward: “Our common enemy is the internal combustion engine.” Instead of viewing companies like Tesla or Volkswagen as competitors, she considers them allies in the fight against oil dependency, making her a true rare bird in the industry.
While the automotive industry has leaned towards specialization, Li has taken a different route. BYD manages to produce everything in-house, from screws to chips. When the semiconductor crisis hit the market in 2021, BYD thrived due to this integrated approach, rolling out models like the Seagull at a price point of €9,000 and the luxury Yangwang for €300,000 , both of which are profitable ventures.
Employing over 110,000 engineers , BYD files an astounding 32 patents daily . Their bold commitment to innovation includes a focus on solid-state batteries, expected to be released by 2030 , with a dedicated team of 10,000 engineers working solely on their development.
Execution Speed
In a remarkable display of agility, BYD announced its Brazil plant in December, with operations up and running by March. In just 18 months , its Spanish network has grown from zero to 65 dealers . When Europe imposed a 17% tariff , BYD adjusted its strategy swiftly, pivoting to plug-in hybrids within weeks, leading to a staggering 892% increase in sales.
Li’s strategy is not merely about exporting Chinese cars; it’s about cultivating local ecosystems. This includes hiring personnel in California, developing specific flex hybrids for Brazil, and tailoring software solutions for individual European markets. One of her latest initiatives is a significant investment of €20 billion in Europe, promising the creation of 10,000 jobs in Hungary.
Don’t miss out on the chance to get your tickets for the Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025 on November 20 in Madrid! Join us to discover the most innovative technology products of the year in an event brimming with gadgets, humor, and surprises.
Advice offered by the brand
Despite her escalating prominence in the industry, Li remains largely absent from social media platforms. While she does give interviews, she keeps them few and far between. This reflects her contrast: her public profile does not match her profound impact. In just 12 months , she has overseen the opening of 230 stores across Europe, establishing a presence in 88 countries and boosting BYD’s value by a remarkable 20,000 times since 2003. Li played a direct role in launching the first offices in Hong Kong, Rotterdam, and Chicago, leveraging three decades of institutional memory as a competitive advantage.
Stella Li has indeed transformed the global automotive market without resorting to media fanfare, showcasing a blend of strategic patience and rapid execution skills. For these accomplishments, she is the proud recipient of the Xataka Leyenda 2025 award.
In Xataka | Stella Li, Vice President of BYD: “In five years, we will be one of the three main manufacturers in the world, I am convinced.”
Featured image | Xataka