L i Wanqiang is a co-founder of Xiaomi, the Chinese consumer electronics powerhouse, and was a pivotal figure in shaping the company's brand and marketing strategy. Before joining forces with Lei Jun and others to launch Xiaomi in 2010, Li had a successful career at software firm Kingsoft, where he was a general manager. At Xiaomi, he became the architect of the company's innovative, low-cost marketing model that propelled it to stardom. He masterfully used online forums and social media to cultivate a dedicated community of 'Mi Fans', turning customers into brand evangelists.

In his role, Li oversaw the development of MIUI, Xiaomi's highly-customizable operating system based on Android, which was a key differentiator for its smartphones in the early days. He also managed the company's e-commerce operations and marketing, pioneering the 'flash sale' model that created immense hype and sold out products in minutes. Though he stepped down from his executive role at Xiaomi in 2019 to pursue his passion for art and photography, he remains a significant shareholder in the company he helped build into a global technology brand.