Compaq
Working directly with Chairman Ben Rosen, we repositioned and focused the overall business and marketing strategies of Compaq to position it for a valuable and optimal acquisition. The challenge here was that at the inception of our project, Compaq’s overall business, product, and marketing strategies were extremely scattered. Also, Compaq was struggling to integrate its newly acquired company, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), and its technologies and employee base with Compaq’s technologies, services, and people. As a result, the company’s performance in the stock market had plummeted and investors were disgruntled. This was during a time when the technology landscape was changing dramatically, including the shift from hardware driving the sector’s profits to software and services being the area of largest profit margins. To turn the company around, we successfully integrated the DEC component into the Compaq brand capabilities and restructured its offerings to designated channels and distribution to clearly show acquisition value. We then reorganized and integrated Compaq’s employee base with its technologies, services, and people. These measures enabled us to achieve a cohesive company moving forward as a leading service provider with a strategic and trusted advisor relationship with its stakeholders. We shifted the foundation and belief of the 30,000-plus employees to execute the newly established business model and product capabilities. We then created and executed a successful presentation to Wall Street and industry analysts, gaining their validation and support that Compaq was an extremely valuable acquisition candidate. Our repackaging of the new brand and business model so it possessed the needed components and power succeeded in achieving a favorable acquisition value. We then worked closely with the board of directors to negotiate the final sale to HP and facilitate the company’s successful transition.