Emir BardakçıIn a high-profile movement of a leader, Xiaomi India President Muralikrishnan B has publicly declared his exit from the Chinese technology player after six transformative years. To see this through, he will pursue an Executive Doctorate in Management from the prestigious Indian School of Business, with research on consumer behaviour on technology platforms.
Reflecting on his journey, Muralikrishnan thanked his experiences at Xiaomi India, referring to the firm as “one of the most fulfilling chapters” of his career. Again, he referred to the core values of Xiaomi-sincerity, passionate love, and innovation-which he said have played a very important role in the brand’s connection with millions of users across India.
Muralikrishnan became the chief operating officer of Xiaomi in 2018 and his designation was upgraded to President in 2022. He led several big initiatives during his tenure, including expanding Xiaomi’s offline retail and the partnership of the company with Dixon Technologies to locally manufacture smartphones. He will continue in his role until the end of 2024, followed by six months of gardening leave, before getting on with his stint in academia.
Statement by Muralikrishnan
While bidding adieu, Muralikrishnan voiced his excitement to bridge the gap between business practice and academic research. He spoke of the growth of Xiaomi-how a community has been built with the fans, partners, and team members. “Together, we’ve reached milestones that once seemed unattainable,” he mentioned, complimenting the passion of the team and the loyalty of the Xiaomi fan base.
Subsequently, after his exit also, Muralikrishnan will continue to be attached with Xiaomi India as an independent strategic advisor and provide much-required insight into the leadership team.
Xiaomi India’s Leadership Transition
After Muralikrishnan leaves, Sudhin Mathur, former Managing Director at Motorola and Lenovo, takes over the reins to lead key functions for Xiaomi India as it appoints him to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Mathur comes with a line of senior executives, including CFO Sameer Rao, CPO Varun Madan, and CMO Anuj Sharma. All of them will work in close collaboration with Xiaomi India’s General Manager Alvin Tse, who leads the operations from China.
Meanwhile, Adam Zeng, Senior Vice President of Xiaomi and President of the International Business Department, heaped praise on Muralikrishnan: “Under Murali’s leadership, Xiaomi has seen tremendous achievements in India-continued to be one of the most important players in the technology world.”
Market Challenges and Future Prospects
Muralikrishnan leaves at a time when Xiaomi India is fighting for its turf in an always-boisterous market. The company was questioned by several government agencies in 2022 on certain allegations of illegal remittances. However, according to the latest numbers from Counterpoint Research, Xiaomi has bounced back to reach the second position in smartphone shipments during the July-September quarter of 2024.
As Xiaomi India embarks on a new chapter, Muralikrishnan’s heritage on resilience, strategic expansion, and strong leadership will no doubt form a base for further growth. Innovation from the leadership team in terms of community engagement and local manufacturingFurther consolidates the brand’s long-lasting influence on the Indian market, a testament to Xiaomi’s vision, “10 Years of Tomorrow.”.
