Tough Times Ahead For Realme India, Over A Dozen Execs Quit To Join Honor Team

The employees who have left Realme India include top executives who have been "poached" by the company's former CEO Madhav Sheth who was also the face of the handset maker in India.

Madhav Sheth officially resigned from the company after five years in June. ( Image Source :Getty )

With more than a dozen of its executives leaving, Chinese handset maker Realme may have a tough time in India. According to a report in ET Telecom, the sales heads who have quit Realme have taken their "core team" along with them. The employees who have left the handset maker include top executives who have been "poached" by Realme's former CEO Madhav Sheth who was also the face of the handset maker in India, says a recent report by news agency PTI.

The report added, citing sources, that they are confirmed to join Honor Tech. "There is a mass resignation at Realme India as several employees, including top directors, have joined Madhav Sheth at Honor Tech," the report added.

Dipesh Punamiya, who was in charge of offline sales at Realme, has now become the assistant vice president (AVP) at Honor Tech. Sanjeev Kumar, who was looking after online sales at Realme, has also taken up a senior position in the company, says a report by IANS, citing distributor sources.

Earlier in June, CEO of Realme India, VP, Realme and President, Realme International Business Group, Sheth officially resigned from the company after five years. He was instrumental in the brand's journey in India. Sheth announced via his official Twitter handle that he was leaving the company. Sheth has joined Realme's rival Honor which is set to restart operations in India under his leadership. It is pertinent to note that Honor is present in the Indian market through its partner PSAV Global for tablets, wearables and laptops. Under Sheth, Honor smartphones will make a comeback in India after three years.

There was an overhaul in Realme India's operations following Sheth's exit and it is being spearheaded by executives in the company's home turf China, reports suggest.

To recall, China's tech behemoth BBK Electronics, also the parent of Realme decided to make handset makers OnePlus, Oppo and Realme separate entities in India in June. The tech giant is making an attempt to "de-risk its India business", a report said. The three smartphone OEMs will have sales accounted for in their own books. Previously, Oppo Mobiles India was handling the distribution and sales of all three handset makers.

Handset makers OnePlus and Realme are likely to join hands with local Indian contract manufacturers soon, reports say.