Meg Whitman’s tenure as CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise may be coming to an end, but Antonio Neri’s stint as her successor will begin on February 1.
And after a tumultuous era in which Whitman oversaw a series of massive corporate restructurings and sweeping job reductions as she cut costs and split the prior Hewlett-Packard into two companies in 2015, Neri ascends from within — a long-time HPE executive and its current president who is the technologist that Whitman believes the company now needs at the top.
“The next CEO needs to be a deeper technologist,” Whitman told Fortune recently after breaking news of her departure from Hewlett-Packard leadership after six years. “That is exactly what Antonio is.”
Neri told Chief Executive that “as a 22-year veteran of HPE, I bring a deep understanding of our people, technology, strategy and customers that positions me to [take] advantage of my experience across the organization and my partnership with Meg to realize the opportunity in front of us in a seamless way that leverages the very best of HPE.”
“We are at an inflection point at which technology will enable us to unlock data in unprecedented ways, allowing us to solve business and societal challenges and find new opportunities that we can’t even conceive of today.” – Antonio Neri
Not long after a 10-year stint as CEO of eBay, and immediately after running unsuccessfully for governor of California as a Republican, Whitman came into Hewlett-Packard in 2011. She recently called it an “enormous conglomerate” at the time that confused customers because it sold too many disparate products, from printers to software to servers. It also was top-heavy with management and with hardware resources at the time that cloud computing and the pay-as-you-go model of digital access threatened to leave Hewlett-Packard a dinosaur.
Whitman made some tough calls including not only splitting the huge company but also spinning off smaller operations and executing a financial overhaul. And while she left HPE arguably a shadow of its former self, Whitman’s conviction is that her efforts created a company that retains long-term viability and, while smaller, is nimbler.
“Even as a smaller, focused company,” Neri told Chief Executive, “HPE is a global technology leader.” Now Neri with his technology credentials ascends to pick up where Whitman left off and “deliver the next generation of technology, software and services that will power the data-driven enterprise of the future. We will deliver innovations that enable organizations to seamlessly navigate and unlock data in today’s complex environment.”
He said that “we are at an inflection point at which technology will enable us to unlock data in unprecedented ways, allowing us to solve business and societal challenges and find new opportunities that we can’t even conceive of today.”
In that regard, he said, HPE’s strategy “is to make hybrid IT simple, power the intelligent edge and deliver the services to make it all happen.
“I have spent my entire career in enterprise technology, which has given me the perspective to understand what our customers need and how we need to lead the industry in meeting those needs. I’m confident we have the right strategy, people, partners and technology roadmap to deliver on that promise.”
Chief Executive Group exists to improve the performance of U.S. CEOs, senior executives and public-company directors, helping you grow your companies, build your communities and strengthen society. Learn more at chiefexecutivegroup.com.
0
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
