Yin And Yang

It’s been a tumultuous few years, but Whirlpool Corporation’s president Asia–Pacific Sam Wu is optimistic about the company’s future in this part of the world.

- Anne Majumdar

NAME: Sam Wu

COMPANY: Whirlpool Corporation

POSITION: President Asia–Pacific

LOCATION: Hong Kong

Since the pandemic began, Sam Wu has accumulated more than 100 days in quarantine due to essential work-related travel. Weekends were the hardest, he reveals. But on weekdays, he was able to spend his days video conferencing and generally being highly productive on the work front.

As the Hong Kong-based President of Whirlpool’s Asia–Pacific markets, staying on top of each of his markets is critical, Sam tells The CEO Magazine. The region is incredibly varied, ranging from mature markets such as Hong Kong and Australia to those with immense and largely untapped potential such as India and Vietnam.

COVID-19 itself has had an immense impact on the business. In China, sales of Whirlpool’s washing machines featuring Smart Ozone technology – the first in that market upon launch – skyrocketed.

“You can also do a dry wash so you can wash your shoes, your mobile phone, your expensive handbag, and the washing machine basically sanitises it for you using ozone,” Sam explains. “A 60–70°C wash does not guarantee that you will kill the germs and viruses.”