Himanshu Tandon, the man who helped make POCO one of Xiaomi’s rare success stories in recent years, is making a bold career move. According to a Moneycontrol exclusive, Tandon is set to leave his role as POCO India CEO and take charge of Nothing’s sub-brand CMF in India. It’s not official yet, but it’s big. And it’s going to shake up three key players in India’s smartphone market: Himanshu himself, Nothing (and CMF), and Xiaomi/POCO. Here’s how the dominoes fall.
Himanshu Tandon
Let’s start with Himanshu. He was part of POCO’s founding team, took over the India helm in 2022, and guided the brand through some of its strongest quarters. Under his leadership, POCO hit a 5.9% market share in Q1 2024, impressive considering Xiaomi’s overall fall. He became the face of a sub-brand that, in a way, outperformed its parent company.
As per rumors in the Industry, Xiaomi saw this and was considering promoting him within the larger India business. However, before they could do anything or make a decision, Nothing stepped in and gave him the offer to lead CMF, and Himanshu said yes.
It’s a risky move, sure. Here’s leaving a stable, successful post to join a relatively new sub-brand in a company still trying to scale in India. But it’s also a power move. With CMF growing fast and India being a key market, he’s walking into a leadership role with more autonomy and the chance to shape a brand from scratch.
Nothing & CMF: The Smartest Talent Grab in Indian Tech?
For Nothing (and its sub-brand CMF), this is a huge win. CMF has been gaining traction, especially after the CMF Phone 1’s blockbuster debut in July 2024. The sub-brand has shown it can sell 100K units in 3 hours is no joke, but it lacked someone with deep local knowledge and operational experience in India. And Himanshu brings exactly that.
He understands price-sensitive Indian buyers, channel dynamics, and the unique chaos of the offline market (yes, CMF isn’t an online-focused brand). He’s done it all with POCO, a brand that thrived with minimal advertising and a strong community. If he can bring that same hustle and insight to CMF, we could see the sub-brand evolve from “affordable Nothing” to a serious competitor to Redmi, realme, Motorola, and the likes.
Also, timing matters. CMF is scaling up just as Indian consumers are looking for budget phones that don’t feel cheap. If Himanshu nails the execution, CMF could go from sub-brand to star performer.
ALSO READ: Upcoming Smartphones to Launch in August 2025 in India
Xiaomi/POCO: Losing a Star at the Worst Possible Time
Now for Xiaomi and POCO, this couldn’t come at a worse time. Xiaomi’s India story is unraveling. Market share dropped from 17% in 2022 to as low as 7.8% in Q1 2025 (IDC), with POCO being one of the few things holding it together. Revenue is down 45% year-over-year, shipments have crashed, and the brand has slipped out of the top five for the first time since 2016.
Xiaomi’s premiumization strategy appears to have failed, as the brand is once again focusing on budget devices instead of launching mid-premium models like the now-cancelled Xiaomi 15 CIVI. The attempt to push the Redmi Note series into a more premium segment also fell flat, especially with rival brands offering more premium devices at lower prices.
Losing Himanshu in the middle of this spiral is a body blow. Not only does Xiaomi lose a key executive, but it also loses him to a rival. And not just any rival, Nothing is the fastest-growing smartphone brand in India right now. CMF, under Himanshu, could directly eat into Xiaomi’s most defensible territory: the ₹12K–₹20K segment.
Add to that the fact that Xiaomi is already struggling with executive exits (remember Muralikrishnan B and the entire Lumio team?), and the picture becomes clearer. Unless Xiaomi can quickly find someone who understands POCO’s DNA, AND gives them enough autonomy, it risks losing the one sub-brand still delivering results.
ALSO READ: Exclusive: Xiaomi 16 Ultra to Adopt a Radical ‘Less is More’ Triple Camera System
Final Thoughts
Himanshu’s exit is a sign of deeper problems at Xiaomi, and deeper ambition at Nothing. For POCO, it might mean losing its edge. For CMF, it could be the beginning of its breakout phase. And for Himanshu, it’s a career-defining move, one that may either cement his reputation as a top operator or maybe test him in completely new ways.
Now, the pressure will be on POCO to announce a successor and reassure its community. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Himanshu Tandon to see what his first move at CMF will be. One thing is certain: the most exciting corner of the Indian smartphone market just got a lot more exciting. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below.
You can follow Smartprix on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google News. Visit smartprix.com for the latest tech and auto news, reviews, and guides.
Himashu is a smart man who made the right decision as he was not getting his due with Xiaomi