Mr Woraphot has successfully positioned Lenovo Thailand as the market leader in the computer segment, showcasing his ability to excel in a competitive environment.

Ensuring Lenovo's sustainable future

Lenovo Thailand, under the leadership of general manager Woraphot Thavornwan, has successfully transformed from a computer hardware-centric organisation to a comprehensive AI-powered services and solutions provider as the market matures, ensuring a sustainable future.

Thailand is one of the top markets for Lenovo in Asia-Pacific. Mr Woraphot's mission is to drive Thailand towards intelligent transformation.

In 2020 he was appointed Lenovo's director of the consumer business division in Thailand, where he played a crucial role in driving the consumer and retail business forward.

After that, Mr Woraphot was promoted to general manager for Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, overseeing diverse markets and demonstrating his adaptability.

In his current role, he has successfully positioned Lenovo Thailand as the market leader in the computer segment, showcasing his ability to excel in a competitive environment.

Journey of transformation

Mr Woraphot said Lenovo has been a leading company in the PC industry for many years, and has continued to hold the No.1 position globally. In the latest quarterly report by IT research house IDC, the company remains in the top position.

"Over the past few years, we've transformed our organisation into three business groups. First is the Intelligent Device Group (IDG), which encompasses a range of products, including tablets, desktops, notebooks and workstations," he said.

The second is the Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), which covers servers, storage, cloud solutions and security products, providing end-to-end solutions.

The third is the Solutions and Services Group (SSG), dedicated to delivering comprehensive, tailored solutions across various industries, including manufacturing, food and beverage, hospitality and finance.

"Our clear strategy and strong execution, as well as our persistent focus on innovation and operational excellence resulted in revenue improvement across all business groups in the recent quarter, with 47% of revenue coming from non-PC sources," said Mr Woraphot.

One Lenovo strategy

To continue the company's global transformation journey, Lenovo is implementing its One Lenovo strategy, where a single account executive or sales representative will be able to provide comprehensive end-to-end solutions — from edge to cloud to customers, which reduces working redundancies, he said.

This approach allows Lenovo to tailor its offerings to meet the specific needs of end-users across various industries in Thailand and the Indochina region.

"We've invested time and resources in upskilling our sales team to ensure we retain the necessary skills to stay ahead of the curve," said Mr Woraphot.

He said understanding this structural shift is crucial. The company has also leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its organisational capabilities and help customers adapt to the changes.

"The key is our ability to adjust our methodologies to deliver a seamless value chain, from our products, ranging from edge devices to cloud infrastructure equipment, ensuring fluency in serving our customers. I believe we're on the right path and will win in the market," said Mr Woraphot.

Focus on R&D

He said every success stems from a deep understanding of the customers.

"Delivering smarter technology for all is not an easy task, but we've made significant investments in research and development — standing at US$476 million in the last fiscal year. Remarkably, one in every four employees is dedicated to R&D, with more than 18 locations delivering products across 180 markets," said Mr Woraphot.

"Our success is largely due to our commitment to listening to the market. In the consumer segment, we offer a wide range of AI PCs and devices, while in the commercial sector, we provide a comprehensive suite of solutions — from edge to cloud, including client technology, networking and intelligent infrastructure."

He said Lenovo is well-prepared to serve various markets with the right talent.

In Thailand, for example, the company has a full range of training programmes to develop the workforce.

This enables the company to respond effectively to changes, serve customers and partners better, and ensure that the best products from its R&D efforts reach end-users through its business partners.

"This holistic approach is how we achieve success in the market," said Mr Woraphot.

Think globally, act locally

"Listening is just as important as speaking; we need to empathise and put ourselves in others' shoes. This requires flexibility and resilience to adapt to change. At Lenovo, we think globally but act locally, empowering our teams with diverse skills," he said.

"Understanding timing and behavioural differences of different markets is crucial. In addition to that, we also need to empower our people and foster teamwork based on trust. When we delegate responsibilities, we do so collectively, supporting each other through challenges and celebrating successes together," said Mr Woraphot.

This approach has led to high employee satisfaction in Thailand, resulting in the company's recent recognition as a "Great Place to Work in 2024", he said.

"Ultimately, our success stems from winning in the market, serving our customers and partners, and valuing our employees — our most important resource. At Lenovo, we believe that teamwork is essential, and we are prepared to win together," said Mr Woraphot.

Integrated sustainability

"Lenovo is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We are in the first group of companies to have our net-zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative’s Net-Zero Standard and we are on track to meet the first milestone in our journey to net-zero: near-term 2030 emissions reduction goals," he said.

"We integrate more closed-loop post-consumer recycled content into product lines, resulting in a total of nearly 300 products including this content, which is recycled from end-of-life IT equipment.

"We have also observed a growing demand among corporate customers for CO2 offset solutions in recent projects. By procuring our hardware, companies can utilise and calculate their CO2 offset, supporting their sustainability initiatives," he said.

He foresees demand from corporate users who require CO2 offset solutions in many new projects which will enable the company to gain customers who require their sustainability approach.