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Xiaomi’s Global Vice President Hugo Barra Leaving the Company; Heading Back to Silicon Valley
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Xiaomi’s Global Vice President Hugo Barra Leaving the Company; Heading Back to Silicon Valley

by Aiman MaulanaJanuary 23, 2017
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A big change is coming to Xiaomi as Hugo Barra leaves the company for Silicon Valley.

No one will stay with a company until the end, unless it’s one’s own company. Faces will change and it’s inevitable. This seems to be the case for Xiaomi as their global vice president, Hugo Barra, is set to leave the company.

 

Hugo Barra Leaving Xiaomi to Return to Silicon Valley

Xiaomi Hugo Barra

The former Android executive first joined Xiaomi about 3.5 years ago. Now that he’s about to leave the company, a lot of people are wondering why he’s doing so. This year is the first time Xiaomi refused to disclose their annual sales figures, admitting that it grew too fast.

This raises doubt on whether Xiaomi can replicate their past success which gave the company a valuation of $45 billion 2 years ago. Hugo did note that the company’s global footprint is “in a very good place” at the moment. Hugo Barra announced his departure in a Facebook post, stating that he feels homesick and plans to move back to California.

Hugo Barra said:

What I’ve realized is that the last few years of living in such a singular environment have taken a huge toll on my life and started affecting my health. My friends, what I consider to be my home, and my life are back in Silicon Valley, which is also much closer to my family. Seeing how much I’ve left behind these past few years, it is clear to me that the time has come to return.

Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun recently spoke about his desire to further expand the company’s global reach but no mention on how far it has got on so far. Now that Hugo Barra is leaving, Xiaomi is now faced with the challenge of replacing him, a guy who is respected and liked across the industry thanks to his experience on Android. They need someone who can take further help globalize the company.

Xiaomi’s co-founder Bin Lin payed tribute to Hugo Barra:

Xiaomi Hugo Barra

When Hugo joined us 3.5 years ago, we started an amazing adventure to turn Xiaomi into a global player. We have come a long way since, and I couldn’t thank him enough for contributing so much to Xiaomi’s journey. As much as we would love to have Hugo stay with us in Beijing for a much longer time, we understand his personal challenges and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Hugo Barra is set to leave the company in February, after Chinese New Year. He plans on returning home and take some time off first before “embarking on a new adventure back in Silicon Valley.”

 

Pokdepinion: Some changes are happening in Xiaomi. Now we’ll see if this will make or break the company. It’s definitely tough to replicate the success they had in the past, especially with other smartphone makers capable of offering good quality, yet affordable smartphones. I’m more curious to see what Hugo Barra will do when he’s back in Silicon Valley.

About The Author
Aiman Maulana
Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one. YouTuber, video editor, tech head, and a wizard of gaming. What's up? :)

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