HP appoints CMO to “unify” consumer and business divisions
Hewlett-Packard has appointed Martin Homlish as its chief marketing officer from business management software brand SAP.
Homlish will be charged with creating a “unified marketing approach” across the company that manufactures products such as laptops, printers and network software for consumers and small to large businesses.
H-P is trying to tap into the growing appetite for cloud internet and mobile computing rather than just relying on PC sales. The company’s latest quarterly revenue figures, up 3.2% to $32.2bn (£19.6bn), fell short of analysts’ forecasts as consumer demand for PCs fell.
The firm is to launch a range of consumer and business products this year, including the roll-out its first tablet, the TouchPad, which is reported to come with a pre-installed cloud-based music streaming service. The launch of the cloud-based music locker would beat Apple and Google, who are also reportedly working on similar services, to the market.
Chief executive Leo Apotheker – also a former SAP executive – says Homlish well help strengthen the company’s global brand position at a time of “tremendous change” in the technology industry.
He adds: “He will help us position our products, services and value proposition to customers as they navigate around the new connected world.”
At SAP, Homlish was responsible for aligning the company’s marketing, field and product divisions as the company’s global CMO and corporate officer.
Prior to joining SAP, Homlish served at Sony Corporation for 15 years and was involved with creating a unified corporate brand across the Sony Pictures, Music, Playstation and Sony Corporation of America divisions.
Homlish replaces Michael Mendenhall who resigned from the company in January after four years in the role.
His resignation followed the high-profile executive of H-P’s chief executive Mark Hurd who left the company after an investigation found he had violated the business’ conduct standards.
Separately, H-P’s executive vice president for enterprise business sales and marketing left the company yesterday (19 April) to “pursue other interests”. He will be replaced by Jan Zadak, currently H-P managing director for EMEA.
