(Yicai Global) Sept. 1 -- Pete Liu, founder and chief executive of Chinese handset maker OnePlus Technology, recently became a senior vice president at parent company OPlus Holdings where he will take charge of product planning for the Oppo and Realme brands.

Liu will also remain as CEO of Shenzhen-based OnePlus, both it and Oppo said in announcements today following earlier media reports.

Based in Dongguan in the southeastern manufacturing hub of Guangdong province, OPlus indirectly owns 74 percent of OnePlus. It also holds all of Oppo Mobile Telecommunications’ shares, according to data on corporate information platform Tianyancha. OPlus’ brands include Realme, which focuses on the overseas and internet markets, in addition to OnePlus and Oppo.

Installing Liu at OPlus will help to ease the internecine rivalry between the sub-brands and preserve market share, The Beijing News reported, citing an analyst who also said OnePlus, Oppo and Realme will generate a future synergy just like that between Xiaomi and Redmi, Huawei and Honor.

Liu joined Oppo in 1998 after graduating from university and was its deputy general manager. He founded OnePlus in 2013 and won over some clients in the high-end market.

Oppo ranked fifth among peers with shipments of 24 million units and an 8.6 percent share of the global smartphone market in the second quarter, according to data from market research firm IDC.

Prior to the personnel change, Oppo’s official online shopping platform was renamed OPlus Mall in July. It gathers the products of Oppo, OnePlus and Realme to offer one-stop services including the purchase of handsets, smart hardware accessories, daily commodities and corresponding guarantees as well as a trade-in service.

Oppo also underwent many structural adjustments and personnel changes in the first half. It appointed Vice President Liu Bo as president of its China business on April 9 in charge of operations and brand building.

The Dongguan-based phone maker also announced on April 20 the appointment of Liu Lie, who also serves as chief marketing officer in China, as president of global marketing fully responsible for all of the firm’s marketing activities. Shen Yiren, the former head of global marketing, resigned for health reasons.