NEW DELHI: At a time when it faces stiff competition from compatriots Oppo and Vivo while tackling regulatory challenges, Xiaomi’s India head Muralikrishnan B has resigned. A company statement said that Murali moves on to pursue his interest in academic research. However, he will continue to support Xiaomi India as an independent strategic adviser.
Xiaomi once led the lucrative smartphone market in India, but has since struggled to reclaim the position back as Oppo, Vivo, RealMe and South Korea’s Samsung dug into its share. According to Counterpoint Research, Xiaomi made a brief comeback to the top position in the second quarter of 2024, but again lost the position to Vivo.
The company had a 16.7% share in volume terms and an 8.7% share in value terms in the third quarter of 2024. Murali joined Xiaomi India in 2018 and held various roles, including chief operating officer, before his elevation to the post of president in 2022. He took over the charge of company when its tussle with the enforcement directorate peaked.