X-mini reshuffles C-suite

Source: X-mini. Hoong.

Audio brand X-mini has appointed Hoong He Hin as CEO, taking over from co-founder and former CEO, Ryan Lee, as well as Keith Wong as its COO. Lee is now the brand’s CTO.

Based in Singapore, Hoong will be responsible for leading X-mini’s global business operations. The former Group CEO of the Onwards Media Group brings 16 years of business development experience. He has experience in over-the-top (OTT) technology in addition to expertise and networks with regards the distribution of streamed media to consumers over the Internet.

“X-mini became a success story for Singapore consumer technology and innovation when it launched its groundbreaking capsule speaker in 2007,” says Hoong. “We look forward to taking X-mini to new heights by expanding into new product categories, as well as providing more digital content to our customers in the future. We also plan to double total staff strength from 20 to 40 to build our engineering, product management and sales and marketing teams in order to meet market demand for new product offerings.”

Source: X-mini. Wong.

“The appointment of He Hin to the board of X-mini team demonstrates our commitment to the growth of the brand. His experience in opening distribution channels worldwide, streamlining product processes and securing strong collaborations with large organisations will see a positive step in our growth. Not only will he lead the brand as we look at expanding into the digital content arena, but his appointment will also allow Ryan to focus on what he does best – product innovation,” said Wong, whose own appointment will see him lead the company’s day-to-day operations as well as drive product sales for X-mini.

Source: X-mini. Lee.

As CTO, Lee will oversee innovation across X-mini’s range of products. The brand’s founder says, “We are excited about exploring new technologies for X-mini: artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) provide a treasure trove of opportunities for the brand, as we continue to innovate by leveraging on our expertise in audio engineering and delivering great sound to consumers moving forward.”

The reshuffling comes after the completion of a second round of funding of S$5 million from private individual and corporate investors. The funds are earmarked for product expansion into earbuds plus a move beyond hardware into digital content. X-mini received about S$10.6 million in 2016.

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Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about X-mini's new earbuds