Realme India Head Michael Guo Steps Down Amid OPPO Brand Restructuring

Realme India Representative Head Michael Guo has stepped down from his position due to health reasons amid a broad restructuring by parent company Oppo. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer is integrating Realme and OnePlus under a unified corporate structure, according to a Moneycontrol report.

A spokesperson for Realme India confirmed to publication that Michael Guo has resigned from his position as Representative Head for the company’s India business due to health-related reasons. The company said it respects his decision and thanked him for his contributions to the brand’s operations in India during his tenure.

Chase Xu, Vice President of Realme Global, will take over oversight of the India market. Guo, who is based in Shenzhen, worked on the Realme India business for nearly eight years and became chief executive officer in March 2023 following the departure of Madhav Sheth, after a 15-month stint as CEO of Realme Indonesia and Southeast Asia. He had also been informally overseeing OnePlus' India operations.

Unified Brand Ecosystem Plan

Realme will transition from a standalone smartphone brand to a product series within the Oppo ecosystem following the Diwali festive season. The integration mirrors changes already implemented in China, where Oppo unified OnePlus and Realme to optimise resources. A similar process began in India in 2021 when OnePlus transitioned into a special business unit.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Realme is expected to undergo a major restructuring after Diwali, under which the brand will transition from operating as an independent sub-brand to functioning more like a product series, similar to OPPO’s Reno lineup. Meanwhile, OnePlus is likely to focus on online sales with fewer smartphone launches, particularly in the mid-range and premium mid-range categories.

Existing Realme distributors, referred to as agents, will receive the option to join Oppo's distribution network to handle products from both brands.

Layoffs and Supply Challenges

The consolidation will result in phased layoffs and employee rationalisation over a 12-to-15-month period to eliminate duplicate roles. Approximately 25 Realme employees resigned last month across administrative, marketing, sales, and service functions. This follows an earlier round of job cuts in sales and service network operations initiated in February, as previously reported by Moneycontrol.

The corporate restructuring aims to address mounting supply chain pressures. Sourcing components drives the unification of the brands under a single operating structure.

Supply conditions are likely to become more challenging in the second half of the year, with shortages of storage and key components already putting pressure on operations. According to the source, the restructuring and consolidation are aimed at helping the OPPO Group strengthen supply security and better compete with rivals such as Samsung Electronics, Vivo, Xiaomi and Apple.

History and Tax Disputes

Realme launched in 2018 as an Oppo sub-brand designed to compete with Xiaomi's Redmi line. The brand later spun off as an independent entity under BBK Electronics. The operating structure in India has shifted multiple times since 2021.

The company established a separate legal entity, Realme Mobile Telecommunications (India), in 2023 to manage its sales and distribution. This move aimed to de-risk the brand from Oppo Mobiles India following federal tax evasion allegations against the parent company.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence accused Oppo's Indian subsidiary of evading Rs 5,086 crore in taxes. The total alleged evasion includes Rs 4,403 crore in customs duty and Rs 683 crore in goods and services tax.