Meg Whitman is stepping down as CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise on 1 February 2018.
Current president Antonio Neri will become president and CEO, and will join the HPE board
“I’m incredibly proud of all we’ve accomplished since I joined HP in 2011,” Whitman says. “Today, Hewlett Packard moves forward as four industry-leading companies that are each well positioned to win in their respective markets.
“Now is the right time for Antonio and a new generation of leaders to take the reins of HPE. I have tremendous confidence that they will continue to build a great company that will thrive well into the future.”
Whitman was appointed President and CEO of HP in September 2011. Since then, she has executed against a five-year turnaround strategy that has repositioned the company to better compete and win in today’s environment.
Under her leadership, the company rebuilt its balance sheet, reignited innovation, strengthened operations and improved customer and partner satisfaction. It also made strategic moves to focus and strengthen its portfolio, most notably its separation from HP Inc., which was the largest corporate separation in history.
She also led the subsequent spin off and mergers of HPE’s Enterprise Services and Software businesses, as well as strategic acquisitions including Aruba, SGI, SimpliVity and Nimble Storage.
Under Whitman’s leadership, significant shareholder value has been created, including nearly $18 billion in share repurchases and dividends. Since the birth of HPE on November 2, 2015, the company has delivered a total shareholder return of 89 percent, which is more than three times that of the S&P 500.
“During the past six years, Meg has worked tirelessly to bring stability, strength and resiliency back to an iconic company,” says Pat Russo, chairman of HPE’s board. “Antonio is an HPE veteran with a passion for the company’s customers, partners, employees and culture. He has worked at Meg’s side and is the right person to deliver on the vision the company has laid out.”