Hugo Barra, Xiaomi’s global VP quits, to move back to Silicon Valley

n a Facebook post on Monday, Barra said that he was ready to call it a day after serving three and a half years with Xiaomi -- often described with the moniker -- “Apple of China”. Barra was earlier an employee of internet giant Google and was its vice president of product management for Android. Xiaomi was founded by Lei Jun and Bin Lin.

n a Facebook post on Monday, Barra said that he was ready to call it a day after serving three and a half years with Xiaomi -- often described with the moniker -- “Apple of China”. Barra was earlier an employee of internet giant Google and was its vice president of product management for Android. Xiaomi was founded by Lei Jun and Bin Lin.

Is the magic over for Xiaomi or has it absorbed the fame-making DNA to continue making headlines? The magician behind Xiaomi's global fame, the company's vice-president, Hugo Barra, is all set to leave the company in February.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Barra said that he was ready to call it a day after serving three and a half years with Xiaomi -- often described with the moniker -- "Apple of China". Barra was earlier an employee of internet giant Google and was its vice president of product management for Android. Xiaomi was founded by Lei Jun and Bin Lin.

It is also interesting to note that Xiaomi acheived some great milestones in 2016 which included crossing $1 billion in revenue in India, selling over 3.9 million Redmi Note 3 phones and also climbing to the 4th rank on analyst charts.

Read: Xioami Redmi Note 4 to go on sale on Flipkart, Mi online store in India today

In the Facebook post, Barra said that he was tired after the long run with the company and said he wanted to be with his family in Silicon Valley. He also said that the hard work had taken a toll on his life.

He pointed out something that any executive based in the "first world" needs to consider when looking at working in India or China - "the last few years of living in such a singular environment have taken a huge toll on my life and started affecting my health," Barra wrote.

In the post, he notes that Xiaomi is in a good place on its global expansion path, and that is why this is a good time to go back home. He noted that India went from "a dream" into Xiaomi's "largest international market, with over $1 billion in revenues," and pointed out Xiaomi's expansion in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and more recently 20 other markets including Russia, Mexico, and Poland.

Read: Xiaomi Redmi searched more than Alia, Virat, Ranbir on Google

Here is the full text of the post Barra made:

THANKS FOR A GREAT 3.5 YEARS, MI FANS — When Lei Jun and Bin Lin came to me nearly four years ago with the opportunity to help turn a young rockstar startup into a global player, I embarked on what has been the greatest and most challenging adventure of my life. I moved to Beijing, 6,500 miles out of my comfort zone in Silicon Valley, to build from scratch a startup team within a bigger startup. This journey has been nothing short of spectacular in every way, and I can proudly say that Xiaomi Global is the first baby I helped bring into the world :) But 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. As I thought about this late last year, I concluded that Xiaomi is in a very good place on its global expansion path, and if there was ever going to be a good time for me to come back home, that time is now — when I can confidently say our global business is no longer just an in-house startup. We turned India from a dream into Xiaomi's largest international market with $1 billion in annual revenues, faster than any company in India's history. We expanded into Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and more recently 20 other markets including Russia, Mexico, and Poland. We teamed up with Google to launch our first official product in the US, and with our successful debut at CES 2017 — where we won 3 prestigious awards — the world now sees that Xiaomi is a global player changing the tech industry through our simple promise of bringing innovation to everyone. More importantly, we now have a team of some of the most remarkable and enthusiastic people I have ever worked with, and leaving them all behind is without doubt the most difficult part of stepping away. At the same time, I know I'll be leaving them in very good hands. Xiaomi now has a strong, globally-minded executive team who will continue to drive the momentum we began together. I want to thank the Xiaomi founders, and particularly our CEO Lei Jun, who has been a mentor and a friend. It has been both humbling and uplifting to work with a man whose vision is redefining the role technology plays in all of our lives, and the role the China tech industry plays in the world. As a friend and shareholder of the company, I am honored that he has been very supportive of my transition and has asked me to remain an advisor to Xiaomi indefinitely, as we continue to extend our reach around the world. For me, as for many people in China, the Spring Festival brings new beginnings, and I will be transitioning out of my role at Xiaomi in February after Chinese New Year. I will take some much-needed time off before embarking on a new adventure back in Silicon Valley. To my Xiaomi colleagues in China and India: as I leave our home in Beijing and Bangalore, please be assured that I will remain your loyal and grateful Mi fan 虎哥. I will be watching diligently from the sidelines and rooting for you guys all the way! And, of course, a very special shout-out to all our Mi fans around the world, who have won my heart for life! Stay in touch guys :) I'll be seeing you, Hugo