Apotheker's HP vision looks a little cloudy

Vendor's new boss wheels out big concepts and bluster in key strategic speech

HP's recently appointed chief executive outlined his goal of steering the company towards cloud computing, connectivity and software, in a strategy speech full of big ideas and buzzwords.

Léo Apotheker, who joined HP late last year, addressed journalists and analysts in San Francisco last night to set out his strategy for the world's biggest IT company. The former SAP boss has already found himself under the cosh during his brief tenure as HP top dog, after the vendor posted disappointing first-quarter figures last month.

Apotheker is placing his bets on three key areas, the first being cloud computing. He explained yesterday that HP intends to develop a full cloud stack and increase sales of higher-margin services. The vendor is also to launch an open applications marketplace where third parties can sell consumer and business apps.

HP's plans around connectivity appear less concrete. The firm pointed out that it "ships two PCs and printers a second" that are enabled with its webOS mobile operating system. Apotheker claimed that HP and its partners could somehow use this mammoth installed base to grow business and drive technological innovation.

The final area of focus for HP is software, where the vendor intends to "buy, build and partner" its way to a stronger management and security portfolio. The firm's ultimate goal is to provide "real-time analytics for 'Big Data'".

"We see clearly a world in which the impact of cloud and connectivity is changing not only the user experience, but how individuals, small businesses and enterprises will consume, deploy and leverage information technology," said Apotheker. "HP is well positioned to be the trusted leader in addressing this opportunity.

"HP's scalable, converged infrastructure forms the backbone of today's cloud computing, and we expect our leadership in software, services, PCs and web-connected printers, as well as the strengths we've built and the investments we've made, to give us a huge advantage as we help define, deliver and run the truly connected world that spans cloud and connectivity, from the consumer through the enterprise."

At the recent Cisco partner conference, chief executive John Chambers claimed his new opposite number came with top credentials.

"I like Léo, I think he is a good man and he will do a good job there," he said. "I just wish he wasn't at HP – and I mean that in a good way."