Posted on 03/29/2005 12:25:33 PM PST by Grig
The waiting is over--Hewlett-Packard chose Mark Hurd, NCR CEO, to replace Carly Fiorina, in hopes that he can eliminate the "beleagured" label that is often stuck to HP's forehead. Mark Hurd's appointment comes less than two months after HP ousted its former chief executive Carly Fiorina.
Who is Mark Hurd? He was born in New York City, attended Baylor University on a tennis scholarship, becoming the number one player on the team. He graduated with a business degree, took a shot at professional tennis before signing on with NCR in 1980, selling computers in Texas. The 25-year NCR veteran rose through the ranks to become CEO in March of 2003. Now, the 48-year-old executive is going from running a $6 billion company to an $80 billion behemoth. His record as a CEO includes seeing NCR's stock price triple during his tenure. He knows enterprise systems, having served as COO of NCR's Teradata division. He's the co-author of a book--The Value Factor: How Global Leaders Use Information for Growth and Competitive Advantage (2004), which focuses on how companies should capitalize on the information they own about their customers, suppliers and partners.
It appears that Hurd has a good pedigree for running a technology-focused company, and knows how to use technology to run a large and diverse business. The question is how he will stand up to the pressure of running a company that has a large consumer component--NCR's main products are ATMs, checkout scanners and datawarehouses. In addition, Dayton, Ohio--NCR's headquarters--is not Silicon Valley, where the level of scrutiny and legion of armchair quarterbacks can create an excruciating experience.
In an interview two years ago, Hurd was asked about leadership in the context of having an enterprise view, enabled by technology infrastructure. Here's how he responded:
The fundamental business questions that need to be asked, at any level, can benefit from an integrated view. [This is] true of the CEO level, the CFO, Chief Marketing Officer, the sales level or the supply chain level. The ability to be able to get the power of aligning your organization is immeasurable. Great companies align people throughout their organization. But if the information isn't aligned, it's hard to align the people.
It sounds like he has the right idea for running a larger company, but putting his management principles into action and facing the difficult decisions about where to take HP will require far more than alignment of people and information. The previous HP CEO stood at the top of the pyramid, maintaining control of the script, the message and the corporate image. Hurd's challenge will be to stand at the top of the pyramid and let the products, services and his decisions speak for the company.
It's always a crap shoot -- time will tell. HP has alot of tough, cost-driven competition now. It won't be an easy job, plus having the task of making the Compaq purchase pay off.
Gee, let's see if Jim Collins is right about whiz kids brought in from the outside. If he is, HP is going down long-term. Guess we'll have to bookmark this thread for review in 10 years or so.....
Hillarious
you are a wicked undercover guy - created by the one with no name I use any more, but your link was to a very funny site and I thank you.
I'm not sure I'm following your post.
Are you referring to the LeCarré character that I adopted as my screen name?
yes
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