Visitors look at smartphones at the Lenovo stand at the 2015 IFA consumer electronics and appliances trade fair on Sept. 4, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo : Getty Images)
Lenovo Group has tapped a former Samsung executive to head the product strategy and management of its Mobile Business Group (MBG), China Tech News reported.
Jiang Zhen, who worked for Samsung's headquarters in South Korea, has been appointed as vice president for Lenovo's MBG in China. He will oversee the company's product planning, product portfolio and operations.
Lenovo's vice president Chang Cheng will see a position adjustment in line with Jiang's appointment. Chang will concentrate on Lenovo's hardware and software segment. The two VPs will report directly to Qiao Jian, Lenovo's senior vice president and co-president of MBG.
Qiao replaced Chen Xudong as the MBG head last November. Since her appointment, Qiao has been reorganizing Lenovo's MBG in China. Jiang is the first senior executive to have joined the company after Qiao's appointment, China Tech News wrote.
In an open letter, Qiao said that Jiang has an extensive experience in product planning, covering both the international and local markets.
The senior VP reiterated that "Jiang's insight, innovation spirit and user thinking about product and market will lift Lenovo's product competitiveness in China to the next level," said in the letter, as translated by China Tech News.
Jiang used to work for Samsung, heading units such as communications research, product research and development, and product marketing.
Lenovo's mobile business has been facing setbacks the past few years, particularly after its Motorola acquisition did not turn out well as the company had expected. The company only sold 15 million handsets from October through December last year. Its revenue crashed 23 percent year-on-year to $2.2 billion in the said quarter.
Despite this, the company remains optimistic that it would soon turn around its fortunes.
"Our PC business remains strong, our mobile business has made steady progress, and our data center business now has a clear improvement plan in place. Although it takes time to build the core competence in these two new growth engines, we are confident to achieve break-even and profitable growth in them," Lenovo said in a statement, via Fortune.
