Sven Virginie R. De Smet

Sven Virginie R. De Smet

Mr. Sven De Smet currently serves as Head of Brand & Marketing for XPENG Europe, where he leads all branding, marketing, and communications activities across the region. In this role, he shapes XPENG’s positioning as a leader in Physical AI, driving conversations around intelligent mobility, autonomous driving, and the responsible adoption of AI technologies in everyday life.

Since joining XPENG in May 2025, Mr. De Smet has played a key role in advancing the company’s “Beyond Cars, Beyond China” strategy in Europe. He has been instrumental in rebuilding the European brand and marketing ecosystem across three key pillars – PR & Social Media, Go-to-Market (GTM), and Performance Marketing – while establishing a central European brand marketing team to deliver a more integrated and consistent approach across markets.

Guided by the principle of “In Europe, for Europe,” Mr. De Smet focuses on translating XPENG’s global innovation story into locally relevant narratives. His work emphasizes not only the company’s expanding European footprint, but also broader industry topics such as R&D activities, local production, AI trust, sustainable innovation, and the role of Physical AI in shaping the future of mobility.

Prior to joining XPENG, Mr. De Smet brings 30 years of global automotive experience in branding and marketing. He held senior leadership positions at Volvo Cars, including Vice President of Marketing for China and the Asia-Pacific region, and Head of Brand at the company’s global headquarters in Sweden.

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  • Organization
    XPeng European Holding B.V.
  • Profession
    Head of Brand & Marketing
Related sessions
AI for Good Global Summit
In person
8 July 2026
10:00 - 14:30
EST - New York
CST - Beijing
PST - Los Angeles
AWST - Perth, Australia

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