Chinese smartphone giant OnePlus is undergoing a leadership reshuffle in India, with veteran Robin Liu returning to head its operations. This comes amidst a boycott from offline retailers and the Indian government’s push for local talent in leadership roles.
Robin Liu Returns as CEO Amid Leadership Shakeup
Liu, who previously served as the head of sales for OnePlus India for nearly two years, replaces Lincle Peng, who has stepped down. This leadership change coincides with the departure of other senior executives, including Samrudh Pai, formerly head of offline business, and Ranjeet Singh, sales director. Singh has been reassigned to lead the online sales channel.
The reshuffle comes at a critical time for OnePlus India. The company has been facing friction with its offline retailer network. In April, major retail chains across several Indian states halted sales of OnePlus phones citing issues like low profit margins, delayed settlements of claims, and product bundling practices. The South Indian Organised Retailers Association (ORA) accused OnePlus of prioritizing online channels and neglecting robust distribution through traditional retail stores.
This discontentment also extended to northern regions, with retailers alleging OnePlus of diverting stock from offline channels to online aggregators, disrupting sales cycles and tax collection. While OnePlus claims to have settled most outstanding claims, ORA members report a remaining 10-20% unresolved, leading to a continued halt in purchases since April.
The appointment of a Chinese executive to lead Indian operations stands in contrast to the Indian government’s efforts to promote local talent in leadership positions. This decision by OnePlus might raise further questions regarding the company’s commitment to the Indian market and its long-term strategy for offline retail partnerships.
OnePlus is having a launch event on July 16 in Milan to unveil the Nord 4 smartphone. The phone is rumored to be a rebranded version of the China-only OnePlus Ace 3V and might sport a metal design, 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chip, and 50MP main camera. Other expected launches include the OnePlus Watch 2R (international version of the Watch 2) and the OnePlus Buds Pro 3.
(Via)
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