Himanshu Tandon leaves POCO India, likely to join Nothing

Big shift in India’s smartphone market leadership: Himanshu Tandon, who’s been at the helm of POCO India since 2022, has officially exited his position. This isn’t just a small shuffle—it’s a notable development, especially as POCO keeps pushing to hold its ground against tough competitors like Vivo, Samsung, and Oppo in what’s easily one of the most competitive smartphone battlegrounds globally. Tandon’s leadership saw POCO through a pretty critical growth phase, so his next move is getting a lot of attention. Industry chatter points to a possible switch to Nothing’s CMF division, the design-focused arm of Carl Pei’s UK-based tech venture.

Let’s break down what this means. If Tandon does join CMF (Colors, Materials, Finish), he’ll likely be bringing serious market expertise and a solid understanding of India’s Gen Z consumers—something the Nothing brand has been targeting with its unique product designs and marketing approach. Moneycontrol reports he could be set for a leadership role, where his experience could be a real asset as Nothing expands both online and offline.

Tarun Pathak, Research Director at Counterpoint, put it pretty clearly: “We see good synergy here. Himanshu understands the Indian smartphone market and ecosystem very well.” This kind of industry backing suggests the move, if confirmed, could create real momentum for Nothing’s CMF business.

It’s worth noting Tandon’s exit comes right after Xiaomi India President Muralikrishnan B’s departure. That’s two high-profile leaders stepping down in quick succession—a sign that Xiaomi’s India operations are undergoing significant changes at the top.

Let’s talk market numbers. While POCO has carved out a strong presence, Xiaomi’s overall shipments in India dropped by 25% in Q2 2025 (data via Canalys). In contrast, Vivo saw a 31% jump, securing the top spot with a 21% market share. Xiaomi (including POCO) shipped 5 million units, which translates to a 13% share.

Prabhu Ram, VP at CyberMedia Research, summed up Tandon’s impact: “Tandon successfully positioned POCO for Gen Z users and boosted retail accessibility.” Now, as Xiaomi gears up for a busy second half of 2025—think HyperOS updates and ecosystem expansion—the company will need to rethink its India leadership strategy to stay competitive.

For POCO and Xiaomi users: There’s an app called MemeOS Enhancer on the Play Store. It can help update system apps, unlock additional features, trigger OTA updates, and even upgrade the system UI—worth checking out if you want to optimize your device.