Business

Lin Bin: Xiaomi Co-Founder, Age, Wife, Career and Net Worth

The story of Lin Bin, from his early engineering career at Microsoft and Google to becoming Xiaomi's co-founder, vice chairman, and billionaire technology investor.

Introduction

Lin Bin is a Chinese-born American technology entrepreneur. He is best known for co-founding Xiaomi with Lei Jun in 2010.

His career started long before Xiaomi. He worked at ADP, Microsoft, and Google, building years of engineering and management experience.

Then came a big change.

In 2010, he helped start Xiaomi. The company grew into one of the world’s biggest smartphone brands.

Today, he serves as Xiaomi’s vice chairman and executive director. His work now includes international business relationships and technology-related compliance.

Lin Bin Quick Facts

Detail Information
Full Name Lin Bin
Chinese Name 林斌
Also Known As Bin Lin
Birth Date February 1968
Age 58 years old (2026)
Birthplace Guangzhou, China
Citizenship United States
Profession Technology Entrepreneur, Business Executive
Known For Co-Founder of Xiaomi
Current Position Vice Chairman of Xiaomi
Company Xiaomi Corporation
Bachelor’s Degree Sun Yat-sen University
Master’s Degree Drexel University
Previous Employers ADP, Microsoft, Google
Wife Liu Xiangdong
Children Daughters
Net Worth Approximately $9.9 billion (Forbes, November 11, 2026)
Residence Beijing, China

Who Is Lin Bin?

Lin Bin is a technology businessman with decades of industry experience.

He helped build Xiaomi from its early days. Before that, he held engineering positions at some of America’s best-known technology companies.

His work at Xiaomi covered many areas. He handled recruitment, supplier partnerships, financial operations, and overseas business development.

He also worked with the company’s smartphone division.

Actually, his experience was quite different from that of many startup founders. He already understood how large technology businesses operated before starting Xiaomi.

He later moved from company president to vice chairman.

He remains part of Xiaomi’s senior leadership.

Lin Bin Early Life and Family Background

Lin was born in February 1968 in Guangzhou, China.

He grew up before smartphones and modern internet services became part of everyday life.

His later education focused on electronics and computer technology.

Public records provide little information about his childhood.

Details about his parents and siblings have not been reliably documented.

His exact birth date is also unavailable. Xiaomi confirms his birth month and year, but not the day.

Lin Bin Education

Education gave him a strong start.

He attended Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China.

In July 1990, he completed a bachelor’s degree in radio electronics.

After graduating, he continued his studies in the United States.

He enrolled at Drexel University in Philadelphia and earned a Master of Science in June 1992.

Bloomberg identifies computer science as his master’s field.

These qualifications prepared him for software engineering and technical management.

They also helped him build an international career.

Early Career at ADP

Lin began his documented professional career at ADP in 1993.

He worked as a network engineer.

ADP is an American company known for payroll and business services.

His responsibilities were technical, giving him experience in computer networks and business technology.

Xiaomi’s official career profile lists his employment at ADP from 1993 to 1995.

A separate historical Xiaomi filing gives a different end date, but the company’s current profile uses 1995.

Working at Microsoft

Microsoft became his next major employer.

According to Xiaomi’s current official records, he worked there from 1995 to 2006.

He started in software engineering and later moved into management.

His positions included software design engineer, engineering team lead, software engineering manager, and engineering director.

That meant handling bigger responsibilities over time.

He learned how large software teams worked, how products were developed, and how engineering departments were managed.

His Microsoft career lasted approximately 11 years under the timeline given in Xiaomi’s current company profile.

Lin Bin’s Career at Google

In 2006, Lin joined Google.

He served as an engineering director until 2010.

This was an important period. Mobile internet services were becoming increasingly popular, and Google was developing its Android business.

His work in Google’s engineering organization gave him further experience in internet products and technical leadership.

He left Google in 2010.

His next project was Xiaomi.

How Lin Bin Co-Founded Xiaomi

Xiaomi was established on April 6, 2010.

Lin founded the company alongside Lei Jun and other early team members.

The company entered a competitive market. Major smartphone manufacturers already had strong brands and large customer bases.

Still, Xiaomi had its own approach.

It focused on offering technology products at accessible prices.

Lin helped build the company’s internal operations.

During its early years, he worked on employee recruitment, legal matters, financial operations, and relationships with major suppliers.

He also helped with expansion into overseas markets.

India and Indonesia were among the markets named in Xiaomi’s official records.

As the company grew, his responsibilities expanded.

He supervised domestic sales, marketing, after-sales operations, and parts of the smartphone business.

Xiaomi later became a publicly traded company.

On July 9, 2018, its shares began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

That was another major milestone in his career.

Lin Bin as President of Xiaomi

Lin served as Xiaomi’s president from 2010 until 2019.

It was a long period of growth.

The company built its smartphone business, developed international operations, and entered more markets.

His work involved both technical and business responsibilities.

He helped manage teams while the company expanded.

He also had to deal with the practical side of running a large electronics business.

In 2019, his position changed.

He became vice chairman of Xiaomi.

What Does Lin Bin Do at Xiaomi Now?

As of November 2026, Lin is Xiaomi’s vice chairman and an executive director.

He also serves on its Nomination Committee.

Xiaomi’s 2025 annual report says his current work includes geopolitical relationships and compliance involving technology and investments.

This is different from his earlier day-to-day responsibilities.

His position now focuses more on board leadership and certain international business matters.

He is also chairman of Xiaomi Foundation Limited in Hong Kong and holds directorships in several Xiaomi subsidiaries.

Lei Jun remains Xiaomi’s chairman and CEO.

Lu Weibing serves as president.

So, Lin Bin is not Xiaomi’s current CEO.

Lin Bin’s Academic Work

Business is not his only connection to technology.

He has also held visiting and adjunct academic appointments.

In 2002, he served as a visiting professor at Zhejiang University and Tongji University.

He was an adjunct professor at Nankai University from 2002 to 2005.

Later, he held an adjunct professorship at Sun Yat-sen University from 2005 to 2008.

These appointments appear in Xiaomi’s 2025 annual report.

He has also served on the advisory board of Tufts University’s School of Engineering in the United States.

Lin Bin Wife and Personal Life

Lin Bin is married to Liu Xiangdong.

Both attended Sun Yat-sen University, where they belonged to the university’s 1986 entering class.

Their connection to the university continued long after graduation.

In 2024, the couple made a major donation to their former university.

Forbes also reports that Lin has daughters who attended Tufts University.

He keeps much of his family life private.

Public reporting places his residence in Beijing, China.

Although he was born in China, Forbes identifies his citizenship as American.

Lin Bin Net Worth in 2026

Lin Bin is a billionaire.

According to Forbes’ real-time billionaire profile, his estimated net worth was approximately $9.9 billion on November 11, 2026.

The amount can change with Xiaomi’s share price and other financial factors.

Much of his wealth comes from his ownership interest in Xiaomi.

Bloomberg has previously estimated his effective ownership at around 9%, with shares held through companies and family trusts.

His wealth is linked closely to the company’s market value.

That does not mean he holds billions of dollars in cash.

A large share of his fortune is connected to business ownership and investments.

His exact annual salary is not established in the sources reviewed for this article.

Philanthropy and Charitable Donations

Lin has supported educational and charitable causes.

On April 17, 2024, he and his wife donated 100 million yuan to Sun Yat-sen University.

The contribution marked the university’s 100th anniversary.

The university said the donation would support its development and construction.

He has also supported charitable work through his family foundation.

Forbes reports that Lin and his wife donated 80,000 face masks and 10,000 pairs of protective goggles to Tufts Medical Center in 2020.

Their support came during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These contributions show his continuing connection to education and healthcare institutions.

Lin Bin’s Miami Dolphins Investment

Lin also has business interests outside Xiaomi.

On March 31, 2026, the Miami Dolphins announced an agreement for him to acquire a 1% minority interest in the football franchise and related sports properties.

The deal valued the wider portfolio at $12.5 billion.

It included Hard Rock Stadium, the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, and the Miami Open tennis tournament.

The NFL approved the proposed transaction on March 31, 2026.

The team said the sale was expected to close shortly afterward.

This investment marked an expansion of his business interests into American professional sports.

Lin Bin Career Timeline

Year Career Milestone
1968 Born in Guangzhou, China
1990 Graduated from Sun Yat-sen University
1992 Earned master’s degree from Drexel University
1993 Began working at ADP
1995 Joined Microsoft, according to Xiaomi’s current profile
2006 Became an engineering director at Google
2010 Co-founded Xiaomi with Lei Jun
2018 Xiaomi listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
2019 Became Xiaomi’s vice chairman
2024 Donated 100 million yuan to Sun Yat-sen University with his wife
2026 Announced minority investment in Miami Dolphins sports portfolio

Why Is Lin Bin Famous?

Lin is best known for helping start Xiaomi.

His engineering experience came first. Then he used that knowledge to help build a major technology business.

His work covered several parts of Xiaomi, from early hiring to international operations.

The company grew from a startup into a global electronics manufacturer.

Today, it sells smartphones, connected devices, and electric vehicles.

His career also stands out because of his earlier work at Microsoft and Google.

Those positions gave him years of experience before Xiaomi was established.

Final Thought

Lin Bin has spent much of his career working with technology.

He started as an engineer, moved into management, and helped create Xiaomi.

His work brought major business responsibilities.

Today, he remains Xiaomi’s vice chairman, with a fortune tied largely to the company he helped establish.

His career offers a clear example of how years of technical experience can lead to business ownership and leadership.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Lin Bin?

Lin Bin is a Chinese-born American technology entrepreneur. He co-founded Xiaomi with Lei Jun in 2010 and currently serves as its vice chairman.

2. How old is Lin Bin?

He was born in February 1968. He is 58 years old as of November 2026.

3. Who is Lin Bin’s wife?

His wife is Liu Xiangdong. She is also a graduate of Sun Yat-sen University.

4. What is Lin Bin’s net worth?

Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately $9.9 billion on November 11, 2026. His wealth changes with market conditions.

5. Where did Lin Bin study?

He completed his bachelor’s degree at Sun Yat-sen University in 1990 and earned a master’s degree from Drexel University in 1992.

6. Did Lin Bin work at Google?

Yes. He worked as an engineering director at Google between 2006 and 2010, before co-founding Xiaomi.

7. Is Lin Bin the CEO of Xiaomi?

No. He is Xiaomi’s vice chairman. Lei Jun is chairman and CEO, while Lu Weibing is president.

8. Does Lin Bin own part of the Miami Dolphins?

In March 2026, the Miami Dolphins announced his agreement to acquire a 1% minority interest in the franchise and related sports businesses. The NFL approved the proposed transaction.

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