In China, Chief Faces Range of Challenges -- WSJ
July 20 2017 - 3:02AM
Dow Jones News
By Alyssa Abkowitz
This article is being republished as part of our daily
reproduction of WSJ.com articles that also appeared in the U.S.
print edition of The Wall Street Journal (July 20, 2017).
BEIJING -- Apple Inc. has created -- and filled -- an executive
role to oversee its operations in China, where the tech behemoth
faces a range of challenges, including increasingly fierce
competition from domestic rivals.
Isabel Ge Mahe was named vice president and managing director of
Greater China, reporting to Chief Executive Tim Cook and Chief
Operating Officer Jeff Williams, the Cupertino, Calif., company
said. Greater China typically includes the mainland, Taiwan, Hong
Kong and Macau.
Ms. Ge Mahe, who currently serves as vice president of wireless
technologies, will manage the iPhone maker's government relations,
its research-and-development centers and China-specific features
for Apple devices.
"So many companies get the market wrong, so to have somebody who
is from China, understands Apple and has a real leadership role is
a really smart move," said Chris DeAngelis, Beijing-based general
manager of Alliance Development Group, which advises companies on
China market strategies.
Ms. Ge Mahe was involved in developing new China-specific
features for its iOS 11 operating system, including the ability to
scan the square quick-response, or QR, codes widely used to pay
utility bills and restaurant tabs, for example. She also worked on
features that will allow customers to use their phone number as an
Apple ID and filter out text-message scams that inundate many
Chinese smartphone users.
The appointment comes as Apple contends with declining market
share in China and tighter scrutiny from government authorities
over the company's operations. Last week, the Apple said it would
begin storing all cloud data for its customers here with a
government-owned company, relinquishing some control over its
Chinese data.
In the first quarter, shipments of iPhones to China dropped 27%
year over year, according to the most recent data from research
firm IDC.
Chinese authorities shut down Apple's book and movie services
last year, without giving a reason. Homegrown messaging apps such
as Tencent Holdings Ltd.'s WeChat are challenging Apple's App
Store, whose biggest market last year was China.
Ms. Ge Mahe, who is from the northeastern Chinese city of
Shenyang, will be based at Apple's offices in Shanghai, the company
said.
--Tripp Mickle in San Francisco contributed to this article
Write to Alyssa Abkowitz at alyssa.abkowitz@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 20, 2017 02:47 ET (06:47 GMT)
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