New York – Haier America,
the North American division of China’s Haier Group, has restructured its
operations along its three core product lines.
Going forward, the
company will be comprised of separate air conditioning, white goods, and
digital products groups, led respectively by Lintao Lu, Bob Cunningham and Douglas
Lane. Each reports to Haier America president Shariff Kan.
It is unclear whether the
reorganization also included a significant staff reduction, although Haier has
confirmed that major appliances senior VP Warren Mann has left the company.
Mann joined Haier in 2007 after serving in senior management roles at Sansui
Electronics and the NATM and MARTA buying organizations.
Under the new structure,
each product group will be fully responsible for profit and loss, product
development, sales and marketing, quality control, service, compliance, planning
and purchasing.
Shared support services include
finance, administration, logistics, IT, legal, and branding and creative.
Haier said the
realignment was intended to increase sales and create a higher brand profile
more efficiently.
“This new direction
enables integration from end to end at all levels and presents common
objectives supported by a shared road map, while clearly defining measurements
and performance throughout the organization,” Kan said in a statement.
Lu, executive VP of the air
conditioning group and a 25-year veteran of the room air business, has been
with Haier since 2003. He previously served as compact appliances and home
comfort senior VP for product innovations.
Cunningham, executive VP
of the white goods group and a 30-year veteran of the majap industry, has been
with Haier since 2008. He previously served as major appliances senior VP for
product innovations and engineering.
Lane, a 20-year CE
industry veteran, joined the company last July and will continue to serve as president
of the digital products group.
Haier America was formed by
Michael Jemal in 1999 as the sales and marketing arm of Haier Group in North
and South America. The company has significant share in the room air, compact
refrigerator and wine cellar categories; sells TVs, laundry and full-size
kitchen appliances; and has made forays into the mobile and portable A/V
categories.
Jemal was elevated to
chairman in a 2009 reorganization that allowed him to focus on strategic
planning and to work more directly with corporate parent Haier Group. He was
succeeded as president by Kan, who assumed responsibility for all day-to-day
operations.
