Two of China’s most successful tech companies, Xiaomi and Huawei, took center stage in the microblogging realm over the past week, engaging in a rare direct war of words over their competing products in the nation’s overheated smartphone market. Their online sparring aside, the pair of tech stars also engaged in their own separate globally-focused activities that emphasized attempts by each to become the nation’s first truly international smartphone brand.
Huawei’s media-shy founder Ren Zhengfei traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he gave a rare public speech in which he appealed to the US to accept his company’s products, in remarks chronicled by some of his top deputies on their microblogs. Meantime, several recently recruited member of Xiaomi’s high-profile international team met at the company’s headquarters in Beijing, where they were talking strategy as the company continues its global expansion. Read Full Post…
Global gadget leader Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) and its chief Chinese imitator Xiaomi have been filling the online airwaves these last few days, though for very different reasons. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook was drawing praise and admiration from a wide range of tech executives on their microblogs, following his widely publicized editorial in which he disclosed that he is gay.
Meantime, a number of top officials from the talkative Xiaomi were also talking up a storm, which verged on gloating, as their company once again poached another high-profile Silicon Valley talent. They also had plenty to say as their high-flying company claimed the undisputed spot as the world’s third largest smartphone maker, behind only sector leaders Samsung (Seoul: 005930) and Apple. Read Full Post…
Bottom line: Improved working environments are allowing Chinese tech firms to compete with multinationals for top talent, a template that state-run firms and other industries would be wise to follow.
Xiaomi attracts top exec from Spotify
Fast-rising smartphone maker Xiaomi made headlines last week when it lured away a top western executive from European online music streaming giant Spotify by offering him an attractive new job at its Beijing headquarters. The move marks the latest in a stream of high-profile defections by technology executives from comfortable jobs at major western firms to join up-and-coming Chinese names like Xiaomi and Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU).
The movement reflects a maturation for China’s fast-growing high-tech sector, whose rapid rise and improving working conditions are making companies more competitive with big western names traditionally preferred by many highly-skilled workers. But the trend is still limited mostly to China’s private high-tech sector, and is largely absent in state-run firms and other industries. Read Full Post…
