HPE Names New CIO To Oversee Massive Next IT Restructuring Initiatives
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has hired Archana "Archie" Deskus, previously the CIO of GE's Baker Hughes oilfield services business, to oversee a massive IT restructuring.
Deskus, a 17-year IT veteran who spent the last four years at Baker Hughes, will be responsible for dramatically revamping HPE's internal IT systems.
Under the Next restructuring, HPE is moving from 1,000 business processes supported by 10 ERP systems and more than 950 applications to just 100 business processes with a single global ERP system with 350 applications.
The IT restructuring is one of many initiatives that includes massive internal IT system changes including a reduction in the number of internal compensation plans from 400 to 25 and a cut in the number of active server configurations from 50,000 to 10,000.
Deskus, who before taking the CIO job at Baker Hughes was CIO at Ingersoll-Rand and Timex, will report to HPE President Antonio Neri who is overseeing the Next initiative.
"Archie has a depth of knowledge about how best to leverage technology to drive business value," said Neri in a blog post. "For the past four years, Archie was CIO at Baker Hughes where she transformed their IT organization into a strategic business partner, while delivering operational performance and business value."
The HPE Next initiative is aimed at simplifying the structure of the company, with plans to reduce costs by as much as $200 million to $300 million in the current fiscal year. HPE is aiming for $1.5 billion in cost savings over a three-year period.
Deskus replaces interim CIO Joseph Schulz, a 10-year HPE IT veteran and former GE IT executive, who will continue to play a "crucial role in Global IT delivering the NextGen IT program," said Neri.
"I’d like to thank Joe for leading the Global IT organization over the last several months," said Neri. "As you all know, he has been the driving force behind the work we’ve done in IT preparing for HPE Next. Joe has a proven track record from his role behind the launch of HPE and the two spin-mergers. I know his expertise will be a great asset as we advance the NextGen IT project."
Michael Haley, president of Edge Solutions, an Alpharetta, Ga., solution provider, No. 333 on the 2017 CRN Solution Provider 500, said the Deskus appointment strikes at the heart of HPE CEO Meg Whitman's philosophy that HPE must improve its business processes to make it easier to do business with the company. "Meg told us at the BoB (Best of Breed) conference that 'complexity equals cost' and there is no room for inefficient processes in today's IT systems," said Haley.
Haley also said he was "excited and proud" of HPE's decision to name Deskus – who was honored this year by the National Diversity Council this year – in this "strategic and important role that is critical to the success of HPE and its partners."