Founder, chairman, and CEO, Dell Technologies – 1984-present
For a CEO who shunned the channel for most of his career, Michael Dell has played a blinder to finish sixth in a poll of 60 channel leaders.
A whopping 13 panellists put the eponymous PC baron in their top five, reflecting their admiration for a series of bold decisions he made to transform Dell from a PC and print outfit into an enterprise tech goliath (and himself into the world’s 16th richest person, according to Forbes).
Having founded Dell from his college dorm in 1984, the Texan tycoon in 2007 took the decision to ditch its direct sales-only mantra and embrace the channel. Today, partners generate around half of Dell’s business.
Leadership style
Dell won plaudits from the channel leaders we sounded out for his approachability and curiosity, as well as his ability to make big, strategic calls.
Low points
Having stepped down as his eponymous firm’s CEO in 2004, Dell was forced to return from exile just three years later, in response to stagnating sales and marketshare losses to HP.
Killer quote
“The direct model has been a revolution, but is not a religion. We will continue to improve our business model, and go beyond it, to give our customers what they really need.” (taken from memo Michael Dell sent to employees in 2007, according to Reuters)
What our panellists said about Dell
Phil Doye, CEO, boxxe
Margaret Adam, Head of Product Marketing, Channel Mechanics
Alex Smith, Vice President of Channels, Canalys
Rupert Mills, Director, Krome Technologies
How did IT Channel Oxygen compile The Century’s Greatest Vendor Leaders? See here
Who’s next in the countdown? See following page…