Carl Pei, the co-founder of OnePlus has reportedly left the company in recent weeks, confirmed multiple reports. His departure announcement from OnePlus comes just in time for the OnePlus 8T launch which is scheduled for October 14.
According to a report from AndroidPolice, a Reddit user JonSigur posted an alleged internal screenshot of a memo from OnePlus. The memo had listed the leadership structure where Carl Pei was absent. The memo stated that Emily Dai, who was overseeing the brand's operations in India, will now take care of the OnePlus Nord division. The memo also states that she will be the Indian region CEO and will report to Pete Lau, who is the global CEO of the company.
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Carl Pei has been delivering keynote speeches at the launch events, interacting with users and getting to know more about the user requirements. In other words, he was the public face of the company.
The Reddit user claimed that Carl Pei could have been sacked though the company may be trying to save face by suggesting that the co-founder decided to move on with mutual consent. OnePlus has attempted to straddle both sides of the price scale with flagships costing as much as $1000 and cheaper versions aimed at a market that appears to be consuming more smartphones since Covid-19 struck.
OnePlus was co-founded by Carl Pei back in 2013 along with the current CEO, Pete Lau. A recent report said Pete took an SVP role at OPLUS. This restructuring could be an indication at higher synergies between the brands.
For those who are unaware, both Carl Pei and Pete Lau worked at Oppo before starting OnePlus. He even had a stint with Nokia and tried to score an internship at Samsung. Carl has played an instrumental role in bringing up the OnePlus brand at a global level and was also responsible for bringing the OnePlus Nord, an affordable series from OnePlus this year.
A report from TechCrunch says that Carl, who is 31 now, will start his own venture. However, there is no clarity on what it is or when that will happen. The OnePlus 8T launch is likely to miss his presence as the brand looks to revamp its flagship lineup once again.
