Smartening appliances for China

Ai Xiaoming-led Whirlpool is shifting gears and preparing to impress Chinese consumers afresh

Ai Xiaoming's ambition is to make Whirlpool an appliance brand to reckon with China. As president of Whirlpool Corp's China unit, he heads a key operation of one of the world's largest home appliance makers.

Success in the large Chinese mainland market is critical to the company's future, and Ai is intent on boosting Whirlpool's relatively small market share and slow growth in China.