HP taps Top Print Executive to lead cross-company AI strategy

Tuan Tran is stepping down from his role as president of HP’s printing and imaging business to lead the computing and printing giant’s cross-company AI strategy as leader of a new organization. Taking over the printing business is 30-year HP veteran Anneliese Olson.

HP Inc. has tapped the leader of its printing and imaging business to lead a new technology and innovation group that will put him in charge of its cross-company AI strategy.

The computer and printing giant announced Thursday that Tuan Tran, who has been with HP for more than 30 years, will step down as president of imaging, printing and solutions next month to become president of technology and innovation.

Anneliese Olson, another 30-year HP veteran, will take over as head of the company’s imaging, printing and solutions business after serving as senior vice president and general manager for North America for a little more than a year.

As head of the new technology and innovation organization, Tran will be responsible for “setting HP’s advanced technology strategy, including how HP will deliver HP across our portfolio,” according to the company.

The company announced the leadership changes a month after holding the HP Imagine 2024 event at its headquarters in Palo Alto, California, where it he announced more AI-enhanced products and solutions, including PCs and video conferencing equipment, which are said to improve productivity and collaboration across the spectrum of hybrid work configurations.

HP CEO and President Enrique Lores said the leadership appointments and creation of the new organization are part of a push to create “internal structures and processes that enable our teams to move faster and with greater agility “.

“These strategic moves will allow us to further advance our plans to become a leader in the future of work, setting us up for continued long-term success,” he said in a statement.

Tran, who led HP’s printing and imaging business for nearly six years, said he was “inspired by HP’s bold ambition to drive the future of work” and promised his new group “will be at the forefront of this transformative era.” .

“Throughout my 30+ years with the company, I’ve witnessed the incredible impact of our innovation – solving customer challenges, reshaping the technology landscape and setting new standards in our industry. I look forward to building on this legacy with a strong team of technology, software and AI leaders across HP,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

Olson, who previously held several print leadership and management roles, said he is taking over HP’s printing, imaging and solutions business at a “critical time of transformation and growth for printing.”

“We are focused on improving our agility, collaboration and innovation as we meet the evolving needs of our customers and fulfill HP’s ambition to lead the future of work,” she wrote in a LinkedIn post.

HP’s leadership moves were welcomed by leaders of two major North American solutions providers that work closely with the computer and printing giant.

Harry Zarek, Ontario-based president of Compugen, told CRN that HP’s move to create a new organization to lead its AI strategy is important because many organizations are still trying to figure out how to benefit from AI and have need a vendor like HP to show. the way.

“We need to aggressively find ways to use AI to help grow our businesses. And I guess that’s what they do. They say, “We have a large and complex business. The fastest thing for us to demonstrate value is to be that example and take all of our learnings and start sharing them with our customers,” said Zarek, whose company is #60 at CRN 2024. 500 solution provider list.

Zarek called Tran a “powerful technologist,” which he sees as a critical characteristic of the new role because of the need to “weave the different pieces” into a “complex ecosystem” of technologies and vendors.

As for Olson becoming head of HP’s printing and imaging business, Zarek said the company veteran is a “powerhouse” and “very well organized.”

“It will bring a very strong business focus, a partner-aligned print focus, which continues to be the key driver of profitability for HP,” he said.

Bob Venero, CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Future Tech Enterprise, said the creation of the new technology and innovation group is a “smart play” given that “AI is going to be a big part of what (customers) happen . to have to adapt and adopt.”

“I don’t necessarily think the impact from a customer perspective is today, but I think it’s eight to 12 months away once it becomes more mature and people start to trust it,” said Venero, whose company is the No. 76 on SP 500.