​Introducing… Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Meg Whitman - Chairman and CEO, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

In 1939, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin in a Palo Alto garage.

Deciding whether the company they founded would be called Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett, 77 years on from the creation of one of the world’s leading technology companies - HP has now, in 2015, officially split into two.

Establishing two new publicly listed Fortune 50 companies in the process, here’s a quick rundown of Hewlett Packard Enterprise…

“When we announced the separation, we knew that the name Hewlett Packard Enterprise would carry a rich legacy,” stated Meg Whitman, CEO, Hewlett Packard Enterprise - when introducing the new company earlier this year.

“We wanted to build on the past and create a brand that supports the business we are today and projects who we will be in the future.

“But first, we had to ask ourselves, what do we want to stand for in the marketplace? What do we want to be known for? What are the values that drive us?”

According to Whitman, Hewlett Packard Enterprise will build upon HP’s “leading position” in servers, storage, networking, converged systems, services and software.

As Whitman explained, the heart of Hewlett Packard Enterprise will focus on enterprise, both large and small.

“We know that what we do is core to the businesses of our customers and partners,” Whitman added. “We are innovators at heart - that’s in our DNA.

“We had to continue to bring forth the practical innovation we’ve always been known for - the pride we feel in inventing new ways to improve how we live and work.”

Going forward, Hewlett Packard Enterprise will have a portfolio and strong multi-year innovation roadmap across technology infrastructure, software and services to allow customers to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by cloud, big data, security and mobility in the New Style of IT.

Exploration

For Whitman, the creation of Hewlett Packard Enterprise allows for new areas of exploration, “like agility, openness and partnership with our customers.”

Drawing on the belief that it takes more than great technology to succeed in the world today, Whitman believes it also takes an environment where collaborative people, empowering technology, and transformative ideas come together.

“This will be at the heart of Hewlett Packard Enterprise,” Whitman added.

A new look

Some five months ago, Whitman provided Hewlett Packard Enterprise with a global identity, unveiling the company’s new logo and design at HP Discover.

“To bring our ideals to life, we needed a logo and a design system that would be singular and defining,” Whitman said.

“We needed a design that would express our renewed commitment to focus and simplicity. And we needed a logo that would be as transformative, flexible and agile as we are becoming, while standing out from the pack.”

Standing out from the pack defines Whitman’s strategy for the new-look organisation, as the company strives for relevance in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

“It’s different, I know,” admitted Whitman, citing a need for the tech giant to “stand apart”.

“The other thing that stands out for me is its simplicity,” Whitman added. “But, guess what, that’s what we’re going to be about - easy to do business with and precise in our work, our engineering and our innovation.”

Unsurprisingly, Whitman labels the move as an “exciting milestone in our separation”, with promises to stay true to the values of the 77-year-old tech titan.

“While we’re continuing our traditions and our strategy, we are truly embarking on a new journey,” Whitman added. “Stay tuned as we continue to make business history together.”

Board of Directors

The board of directors of Hewlett Packard Enterprise will be chaired by Pat Russo, who joined the HP board in 2011 and currently serves as its lead independent director.

Russo previously served as chief executive officer of Alcatel-Lucent, as well as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lucent Technologies Inc.

In addition to Russo, the Hewlett Packard Enterprise board of directors includes:

• Dan Ammann, President, General Motors
• Marc Andreessen, Co-founder, AH Capital Management, LLC
• Michael J. Angelakis, Senior Advisor to the Executive Management Committee, Comcast Corporation; former Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, Comcast Corporation
• Leslie A. Brun, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sarr Group, LLC
• Pamela Carter, former President, Cummins Distribution
• Klaus Kleinfeld, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alcoa Inc.
• Raymond J. Lane, Partner Emeritus, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
• Ann M. Livermore, former Executive Vice President, HP Enterprise Business
• Raymond E. Ozzie, Chief Executive Officer, Talko Inc.
• Gary M. Reiner, Operating Partner, General Atlantic
• Lip-Bu Tan, Chairman, Walden International; President and Chief Executive Officer, Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
• Meg Whitman, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, HP