There has been a changing of the guard at well-known whitegoods manufacturer Haier. Su Xiaoxi, who has been part of Haier Group's legal department since its inception, has stepped down as the head of legal and transitioned to the group's global operation department to take charge of indirect purchasing and administrative work. Veteran Haier in-house counsel Li Ming has succeeded Su to become the new head of legal.

Su, who joined Haier in 1988, has helped build the legal department from a one-man IP office to a unit of nearly 50 lawyers, a journey which mirrors Haier's own rise to prominence as one of the world's largest whitegoods manufacturers. The legal department is now grouped in three teams, namely legal affairs, internal control and IP, providing strong legal and compliance support to the group's operations at a global level.

Su noted that he had worked in the legal department for quite a long time, during which he had little direct exposure to the group's business units. "The transition to the front-line business unit will give me a chance to improve my understanding and controlling capacity of practical business so as to better my legal expertise in the future," said Su. "This is my decision, to move on to the next stage of my career."

Su will remain based in Qingdao, where Haier Group's headquarters are located.