HPs Next CEO 10 Qualities HP’s New Captain Must Have
1. Strong Relations With VARsMark Hurd understood the value of VARs. He realized that if he could work with them and offer products that would make their services more robust (and their businesses a little more successful), he could filter HP’s machines into the corporate world. The next CEO should follow that template. VARs are important when it comes to corporate success. And any CEO that forgets that will have all kinds of trouble trying to make up for Hurd’s departure.
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2. Focus On the SellMark Hurd was a special case in the tech market. Unlike so many other CEOs that simply stay in their offices and tend to their daily tasks, Hurd spent time in sales meetings ensuring that he would get HP products into the corporate world. By doing so he not only raised his value to customers, but he did his part to bring HP back into the corporate game. The next CEO must Hurd’s lead. After all, why fix something that isn’t broken in the first place?
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3. Don’t Forget About the EnterpriseMore generally, the next CEO at HP must always remember the value of the enterprise. Mark Hurd proved that the company that wins the corporate world is the firm that will be able to win the PC market. He also realized that by having a foothold in the corporate computing space, he could bring other HP solutions to the market and capitalize even further. That takes some foresight, which is something that few CEOs have. HP better choose wisely.
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4. Strong Google RelationsHP’s next CEO had better beware of Google. After Hurd and his team acquired Palm, the company effectively fired a shot over Google’s bow when it decided to dabble in the mobile and tablet markets. Now, Google’s Android operating system is gaining significant market share and HP is just starting to get into that space. If the next HP CEO wants to be successful, he or she must find a way to get Google off the idea of destroying WebOS.
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5. An Anti-Acer MentalityAcer is a major threat to HP right now. In fact, it’s the single company that has a chance at overtaking the firm in the computing market. When Mark Hurd was at the helm of HP, he allowed Acer to grow too quickly. The next CEO of the company cannot allow that. They need to find out what makes Acer unique — mainly its international success and product designs — and find a way to overcome them.
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6. The Desire to Maintain Pressure On DellDell still wields significant power and influence in the corporate world, even if it’s not the same company it once was. Realizing that, the next HP CEO should be careful to keep Dell at bay. Beating Dell should be central to the next CEO’s plans.
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7. Functionality And Value Above AllHP has been synonymous with functionality and value ever since Mark Hurd took over. Hurd knew that to be successful in the increasingly competitive computing space, he needed to deliver products that companies and consumers could afford, but still worked the way they expected. Going forward, HP’s next CEO must follow Hurd’s lead. HP has a reputation it needs to uphold, and it can’t afford to lose it for the sake of bad policy.
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8. A Clear Vision For PalmPalm’s acquisition has been questioned by more than a few pundits and analysts, but that doesn’t mean that there is any going back. The next CEO of the company needs to evaluate what makes Palm’s products specials, what doesn’t work, and set out to make the right decisions based on that information. If that means the Pre and Pixi have no future, but WebOS does, then so be it.
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9. A Desire For TabletsWith WebOS in tow, and a potentially beneficial relationship with Google, the next HP CEO should focus his or her time on delivering tablets to both consumers and enterprise customers. The next CEO must realize that tablets are the way to the future.
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10. The End to NetbooksHP has focused much of its mobile efforts on netbooks. But the next CEO must realize that netbooks have no place in the future. Tablets are taking over the mobile market. And they’re doing so to the detriment of netbooks. If any candidate wants to maintain HP’s netbook division, it’s time to move on. Tablets are the future.