This article is more than 1 year old

HP imports PC and printer boss for Blighty from US ops

George Brasher quits San Diego for, er, Bracknell

HP has crossed the Atlantic to pluck the replacement for outgoing Brit PC and printer boss Paul Hunter from its US operation.

El Chan can reveal that George Brasher, currently the worldwide veep and GM of HP's Laser printer business is coming to Blighty to take charge of the Printer and Personal Systems Group.

Hunter is moving to the US to operate as CEO Meg Whitman's chief of bags staff, and will be moving in rarefied circles from August.

In a note to staff, HP confirmed that the company veteran - Brasher has racked up 24 years service at the firm - will report to Herbert Köck, head of PPS EMEA and the regional joint MD from 1 July.

During his two-plus decades at the US tech giant Brasher has run inkjet supplies across the Americas, and held various senior roles in the Laser operation including the unit's bossman in EMEA.

Most recently, Brasher doubled up as global Laser chief, and veep of marketing strategy and innovation of the LaserJet and Enterprise Solutions business.

The appointment has surprised some folk the channel that are not familiar with the new UK and Ireland veep for PPS, and had tipped local boy Simon Ewington, veep of PPS distribution EMEA for the role.

"He's [Brasher] going to have to book a lot of meetings over the next few months to get to know the partner base," said one.

HP is still tops in the printer market in the UK and according to Canalys was the largest shifter of PCs in Q1 after reporting shipment growth of nearly 29 per cent in a sector that declined 6.26 per cent.

This means that in the PC space alone, HP accounted for almost one in four computers sold in the quarter, way ahead of Dell or Lenovo, which last year seized the global PC crown.

But HP came third in the running when UK tab and PC sales were both counted, some distance behind Apple and Samsung.

HP will say it is choosing its battles and wants to compete more aggressively in the more profitable enterprise space, rather than slug it out on low-end consumer tabs or notebooks. It may have a point. ®

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like