Carl Pei’s Nothing ropes in ex-Samsung veteran to lead India operations

Manu Sharma, a consumer technology sector veteran, is all set to establish and lead the India operations of Nothing -- the new technology startup founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei.

Sharma will join as vice president and general manager at Nothing India and work towards driving the growth and business development efforts of the startup in the country. He will oversee the regional product strategy, marketing and sales operations for the brand as well as set up the India office of the company, Nothing said in a statement.

“I am thrilled to welcome Manu as part of the growing Nothing team,” Pei said. “He is an experienced business leader with a deep knowledge and understanding of the consumer technology industry in India. With his proven track record and experience, he will play a pivotal role for our growth in India.”

Sharma brings over two decades of experience in consumer technology operations -- from Hewlett Packard and Samsung.

At HP, he handled various managerial positions and drove the business for PCs, printing, storage, and server products, while at Samsung, he led product marketing, sales, and planning efforts. Before leaving the South Korean giant in December 2020, he had the position of Vice President - Head of Product Strategy.

Commenting on the association with the startup, Sharma said, “I am very excited to be part of Nothing’s journey. Carl’s vision is inspiring and I am confident that Nothing will have a meaningful impact on the consumer technology market in India and around the world.”

Pei left OnePlus in September 2020 and announced Nothing a few months later in January 2021. The startup has not launched any product so far, but ultimately, it aims to create a seamless digital future where consumer technology is seamlessly woven into our lives and actually feels like nothing. 

The company has raised $22 million from GV (formerly Google Ventures) and other private investors, including Cred co-founder Kunal Shah, iPod inventor Tony Fadell, Beme co-founder Casey Neistat, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, and Reddit co-founder and CEO Steve Huffman. It plans to raise $1.5 million through community funding.