Dell hires Motorola executive
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Friday, February 16, 2007; 3:38 PM
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc. (DELL.O) said on Friday it hired the head of Motorola Inc.'s (MOT.N) mobile phone unit to oversee a new global consumer division, making him the second high-profile executive hired since Michael Dell returned as CEO to the company he founded.
Ron Garriques will become president of Dell's global consumer division, effective February 19, the company said.
Dell is trying to reverse slowing sales and narrowing profit margins that occurred under former CEO Kevin Rollins, who left on January 31.
On Wednesday, Dell said it hired Solectron Corp. (SLR.N) Chief Executive Michael Cannon to head a new global operations division.
Last year, Dell lost the top PC market share spot to Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ.N), which unlike Dell sells computers through retailers.
Since its founding in 1984, Dell has sold directly to buyers via telephone or the Internet, bypassing retailers. Consumer sales account for about 15 percent of total sales.
"As the number of people online doubles from one to two billion over the next several years, the majority of new consumers will be located in fast-growing and emerging markets," Michael Dell said in a statement on Friday.
Garriques' resignation from Motorola is effective immediately. The mobile phone maker said he will be replaced on an interim basis by Ray Roman, senior vice president of global sales, and Terry Vega, senior vice president of global devices.
Shares of Dell were up 4 cents to $24.42 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq. Motorola's stock was up 5 cents at $19.29 on the New York Stock Exchange. |
