Lenovo China’s smartphone head Chang Cheng joins rival Xiaomi as race for 5G heats up
- Huawei, Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi and Apple have an accumulated 87 per cent of the Chinese smartphone market, according to a Counterpoint report
Chang Cheng, who announced his departure as head of the smartphone unit of Lenovo China on the last day of 2019, has landed back in the industry as vice-president of bigger rival Xiaomi.
Chang joined Xiaomi on January 1 as company vice-president, responsible for mobile phone product planning, Xiaomi’s founder and chief executive Lei Jun said on his official Sina Weibo on Thursday morning.
“[Chang] has a deep understanding of the industry and rich operating experience in the field of consumer electronics,” Lei said in a company statement on Thursday. “I believe that under his leadership, our mobile phone product planning will be more forward-looking and closer to users’ needs, and provide stronger support for the mobile phone business.”
“On the first day of 2020 [I am] working hard for [my] dreams,” Chang wrote on his official Weibo account, adding that he was “thrilled” to have the new job.
Lenovo did not immediately comment on the appointment.
“Everything you love is very likely to be lost. But in the end, love will return in a different way,” Chang wrote on his Weibo account on December 31, when he announced his departure from Lenovo.
