Exec Shuffle Leaves HP Looking For Worldwide Channel Chief, Americas PC Boss

An HP spokesman confirmed that Jim McDonnell, senior vice president and general manager, HP's Solution Partners Organization, worldwide has taken a job as vice president of global sales for HP's Enterprise Storage and Servers. HP said that Stacey Wueste Davis, vice president SPO partner development and programs, has taken over for McDonnell on an interim basis until a permanent replacement can be named.

The search for a new global channel chief comes as two senior HP Americas sales executives announced their retirement Friday. An HP spokesman confirmed that Mike Larsen, senior vice president and GM of HP's Personal Systems Group, Americas would retire. The spokesman said Larsen would remain in his job until a replacement is named.

Larsen's pending retirement with PSG coms after one of its best quarters ever with global revenue of $10.1 billion on unit shipment growth of 31 percent for the fourth fiscal quarter ended Oct. 31.

Larsen's retirement followed news earlier in the day that Jack Novia, Hewlett-Packard's managing director and senior vice president of HP's Technology Solutions Group, Americas, plans to retire at the end of May 2008.

An HP spokeswoman confirmed that Ann Livermore, HP's executive vice president TSG, circulated a memo to HP employees today announcing Novia's pending retirement. Tom Iannotti, senior managing director for Asia Pacific-Japan, will replace Novia, the HP spokeswoman said. Iannotti will move into Novia's TSG Americas role Feb. 1 and Novia will work with him during the transition period, the spokeswoman said.

Novia is responsible for HP's enterprise product and services sales in the Americas and has been a strong supporter of more HP enterprise solution provider involvement with HP's direct sales force.

Computex President and Co-CEO Sam Haffar, a Houston-based solution provider whose HP sales will nearly double to $25 million this year, said his message to the new executives that will take the ball from Novia, Larsen and McDonnell is to maintain HP's sharp channel friendly focus.

"The new guys have to maintain the same direction that Jack (Novia) and Mike (Larsen) had with the channel," said Haffar. "That means going on (sales) calls if we need them and understanding what the channel does. The bottom line is Jack and Mike understood the channel and the value add we bring to the table. Whoever replaces them needs to have the same perspective they did and continue supporting the HP channel."

Haffar said he's gone on a number of major account calls with Novia. "It's nice to have executive sponsorship when needed to drive business into large accounts," he said. "Both Jack and Mike saw the value in what VARs do and were willing to provide whatever we needed to win deals."

The executive changes come with HP on a roll gaining momentum in both the channel and the marketplace, hitting $104.3 billion in annual sales for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31.

"HP has great products and we have invested in training our people to sell solutions that include a ton of HP product," said Haffar. "The solution is what drives what products we sell. Any solution that we provide a big component of that solution is HP hardware."

Rick Chernick, CEO of Camera Corner Connecting, an HP solution provider in Green Bay, Wisc., said he was sorry to see all three executive move on, but stressed: "I am not worried because HP has a deep bench."

"I have great confidence that (HP CEO) Mark Hurd will bring in quality people," added Chernick. He said he believes HP has the pick of the best talent in the IT industry because of it momentum in the marketplace.