Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has turned to a former Nokia and Lenovo executive to steer and maintain its edge in the highly competitive smartphone market.

Colin Giles, former president of Nokia China and sales director of Lenovo Group Ltd, has been appointed head of global sales and entrusted with the responsibility of growing the company's device sales in overseas markets, said Richard Yu, chief executive of the consumer business group at Huawei.

The Chinese company is currently ranked third in the world in terms of smartphone shipments, behind Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc, according to research firm International Data Corp.