They say there is no such thing as bad publicity. In this case, they are probably right.
During a presentation in India, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun gave his first speech in English. As he’s just learning the language, there were some gaps in flow and usage, aka, him calling out “Are you OK?” repeatedly to the crowd.
Now that presentation of the company’s new flagship phone Mi4i has become a viral video sensation set to music, with more than 700,000 views to date, according to the Wall Street Journal.
While we Westerners might chuckle through this presentation, here are some thoughts: A) Many people worldwide speak fluent English and recognize the need to speak multiple languages, a concept that we have not fully grasped here in the States, B) He will likely be speaking fluent English before we know it, which will only help Xiaomi’s growth in the global market, B) Standing up before an audience and presenting in a language you’re still learning is pretty brave, and C) Speaking of crushing it, check out former Google exec Hugo Barra, now VP of International for Xiaomi, smiling along. Behind every great chief there is a top adviser. Now that is the guy to watch.
Remember, Xiaomi is quickly becoming a force in the Western tech world to be reckoned with.
This 2014 video from Bloomberg News on Lei Jun, or the “billionaire Steve Jobs of China,” is a great quick background on Xiaomi’s chief, who actually compares his company’s business model more to Amazon than Apple.
