Asus CEO Jerry Shen Resigns as Company Shifts Focus to Premium Mobile Devices

Asus has reportedly announced the exit of CEO Jerry Shen in the wake of a "comprehensive corporate transformation", with a move to a new co-CEO structure, and a change in mobile strategy towards premium and niche mobile devices. Shen's departure will be effective from January 1, and he would be succeeded by two new co-CEOs - SY Hsu, the current general manager of the company's PC division, and Samsun Hu, the general manager for Asus' global customer services department. As for Shen, he will be moving on to iFast, an AIoT startup, where he will assume the role of chairman and CEO.

In a statement to Engadget China, Asus announced its new “mobile transformation plan” wherein it will focus on power users and e-sports fans as its customer base. This hints towards a move from affordable ZenFone smartphones to the more premium ROG (Republic of Gamers) series. For this change, Asus has reportedly set aside an expected loss of TWD 6.2 billion (roughly Rs. 1,400 crores) that includes expenses like inventory losses, amortisation of royalties, and organisational adjustment fees.

The Engadget report also goes on to claim that the board of directors at Asus will invest in the fields of AI, IoT, B2B, and commercial applications to diversify itself away from its consumer business. It is also planning mergers and acquisitions amounting to TWD 10 billion (around Rs. 2,300 crores) in the near future.

Speaking with Taiwanese blog BNext, Asus chairman Jonney Shih said that this diversification comes in the wake of the market focusing on fields like AI and IoT. He also says that he will personally supervise the new mobile business and work with the two co-CEOs to operate the new go-to market plan. The global mobile market, he says, is a “bloody battlefield” where OEMs are trying to cut whatever cost they can to gain some share.