A memo circulated internally by HP’s Todd Bradley — who runs the company’s recently-merged Printing and Personal Systems Group — announces the creation of a new mobility business unit underneath him that will be responsible for “consumer tablets” and “additional segments and categories where we believe we can offer differentiated value to our customers.”
The VergeRunning the new Mobility unit will be Alberto Torres, who departed Nokia after running its MeeGo operations — operations that were doomed once it became clear that CEO Stephen Elop would be taking the company down the Windows Phone path. He’ll be reporting directly to Bradley and starting in early September. Interestingly, HP’s “soon-to-be launched commercial tablet” will remain in the charge of James Mouton, who runs the PC group.
The memo comes almost exactly one year since HP killed their “TouchPad” tablet.
Excerpts from Bradley’s memo:
…Our new Mobility Global Business Unit initially will focus on consumer tablets and will expand to additional segments and categories where we believe we can offer differentiated value to our customers. Our existing notebook teams, including our soon-to-be launched commercial tablet, will remain within the PC GBU under James Mouton at this time,To lead the Mobility GBU, I am thrilled to announce that we have recruited a proven executive from the mobile-device industry. Alberto Torres, who most recently oversaw the MeeGo products and platform at Nokia as Executive Vice President, will join HP as Senior Vice President of Mobility, reporting to me.
…During his seven years at Nokia, he held a variety of critical leadership positions, including two years on the company’s Executive Board.
…Alberto’s first order of business will be to accelerate our tablet strategy and begin to execute products against our consumer/SMB target. The exact structure of his team will follow that strategy.
Alberto’s start date will be September 3.
How this all relates to Gram, (formerly the webOS Global Business Unit), is not certain. While the focus of the Mobility GBU is thought to be wider than just webOS, Gram’s work may fall under Mobility’s influence.
Keep trying HP, you’re bound to get it right some year.
