Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) yesterday announced structural changes to the company in a bid to revitalize its growth momentum, with a new business unit for gaming products to be formed in addition to an expansion of operational scope and resources for management.
“Asustek’s growth has been slowing over the past two years. Management thinks it is necessary to carry out a structural adjustment to raise operational efficiency,” company spokesman Nick Wu (吳長榮) said by telephone.
It is the third time that Asustek is to undergo structural changes over the past two years.
During a high-ranking personnel shuffle in December 2015, Asustek invited former Pegatron Corp (和碩) vice chairman Ted Hsu (徐世昌) to serve as its chief strategy officer, which took effect in May last year.
In the latest reorganization, the company’s system business group is to have a total of three business units — the existing PC unit, a mobile unit and the new gaming unit, Wu said.
Asustek management decided to separate gaming from the PC business because it plans to provide more resources for the gaming business, he added.
The gaming business unit is to be led by Chang Rangoon (張仰光), who previously oversaw Asustek’s tablet business, Wu said, adding that the head of smartphone business, Chang Kai-shun (張凱舜), would manage the entire mobile business unit.
Chief operating officer S.Y. Hsu (許先越), who reportedly tendered his resignation on May 8, is to lead the PC business unit, Wu said.
Local media had reported that Hsu planned to leave his post after failing to secure more resources for the notebook business, as management was focused on the smartphone business.
Wu declined to elaborate on management’s efforts to keep Hsu on board over the past few weeks.
“Hsu is staying and he is to remain as the company’s chief operating officer,” Wu said.
The heads of the three business units are to report directly to Asustek CEO Jerry Shen (沈振來), he added.
Asustek has been struggling to sustain the profitability of its smartphone and tablet businesses over the past two years, while its consumer notebook business has also faced industry headwinds.
The latest efforts would give more operational power and responsibilities to the heads of the three business units, Wu said.
On May 11, Asustek said this quarter would be the trough for the company this year, citing a production transition of its smartphones and traditional slow demand for PCs.
In the first four months of the year, Asustek’s combined revenue fell 8.78 percent annually to NT$135.33 billion (US$4.49 billion), company data showed.
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