Dell Hires ‘Impressive’ Former HPE GM To Lead PC, Client Peripherals
Dell, the U.S. leader in PC shipments, has hired former Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s general manager, Ed Ellett, to drive its PC and client peripherals business.
Dell Technologies has nabbed industry veteran and Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s former general manager, Ed Ellett, as its new senior vice president of Dell’s client peripherals business.
Ellett, who was previously vice president and general manager of HPE’s Photonic Business, is now reporting directly to Sam Burd, Dell’s global leader of its red-hot Client Solutions Group, which includes Dell PCs, notebooks, laptops, thin-client devices and more.
“While we already have leadership in displays, docks and peripherals, having Ed Ellett join my leadership team as the SVP of Client Peripherals lets us build on the solid momentum we’ve created in peripherals and capture even more of the multibillion-dollar opportunity in front of us,” said Burd in a email to CRN. “Ed’s background is impressive. He has been a board member, CEO and general manager.”
Burd said Ellett is a veteran technology business leader with global experience leading businesses in software, computing, semiconductor, embedded systems and professional audio/visual.
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Ellett has decades of executive experience working for Nvidia, AMD and Polycom. He could not be reached for comment by press time.
In 2014, Ellett became president and CEO of Vaddio, a global manufacturer of unified communications products for audio and videoconferencing, which was later acquired by Milestone AV Technologies.
Dell’s Client Solutions Group reached record sales of $61.5 billion in fiscal year 2022, up 27 percent year over year.
“With strong talent and inspiring leaders on Ed’s leadership team—including some well-known industry veterans—combined with game-changing products and solutions, this will be a fun space to watch in FY23 and beyond,” Burd told CRN.
Dell Tops PC Rivals In U.S.
Dell Technologies’ Client Solutions Group business is surging in the America and its market-share lead is widening between its two closet rivals, HP Inc. and Lenovo.
In the first quarter of 2022, Dell ranked No. 1 in PC shipments in the U.S. with 27.1 percent share, compared with 21.3 percent share in the first quarter of 2021, according to data from IT research firm Gartner.
Dell increased its PC shipments by nearly 7 percent year over year in the first quarter of 2022 by shipping 5.17 million PC units.
Comparatively, HP Inc. shipped 4.31 million PC units in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2022, representing a drop of 40 percent year over year. HP’s market share fell from 31.6 percent share in the first quarter of 2021 to its current 22.6 percent share.
Lenovo also witnessed a large drop in both units shipped and market share in the U.S. during the first quarter. Lenovo shipped 3.31 million PC units in the first quarter, representing a 23 percent decline compared with the 4.32 million PC shipments in the first quarter of 2021.
“The PC remains the No. 1 choice for people who need to be productive and stay connected for work and play. But it’s not just about the PC—it’s about the ecosystem around the device and the experiences created. This represents significant business opportunities,” Burd told CRN.
Dell Narrowing Worldwide Market-Share Gap
In terms of worldwide PC shipment market share, Dell is also climbing the ranks.
Lenovo and HP saw their global PC market share fall in the first quarter 2022, while Dell’s market share grew, according to Gartner.
In terms of first-quarter 2022 year-over-year figures, Lenovo shipped 18.56 million PCs, down 11 percent; HP shipped 15.86 million, down nearly 18 percent; and Dell shipped 13.8 million PCs, an increase of 6 percent.
Overall, worldwide PC shipments totaled roughly 78 million units in the first quarter, a 6.8 percent decrease year over year.
“When you look at the overall performance and share gain, Dell continues to outpace the overall PC market despite numerous geopolitical and pandemic-related challenges,” Rahul Tikoo, senior vice president of Dell’s Client Product Group, told CRN. “We believe the PC TAM [total addressable market] has reset to a higher level in a do-from-anywhere world, with growth and profitability coming from commercial PCs and premium consumer PCs where we continue to drive investments that delight out customers.”
A share drop in Chromebook sales was a major contributorto the overall market decline. Excluding Chromebooks, the worldwide PC market grew by approximately 4 percent year over year.
Dell achieved its sixth consecutive period of growth in the first quarter of 2022, thanks to the company’s minor presence in the declining Chromebook and consumer PC segments, Gartner said.