Lenovo PC, Enterprise Groups in Executive Shuffle

Lenovo said it shuffled the management team both in its PC and enterprise groups, elevating two executives for the second time in six months and assigning broader responsibilities to another. The vendor’s two core businesses comprise some 80 percent of its overall sales.

Here’s the lowdown on Lenovo’s latest executive promotions:

Lenovo PC and Business Group executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) Gerry Smith, himself promoted to that position only last March, said the trio of management changes shows the “quality and quantity of our talent.”

The promotions give “some of our most-seasoned, effective leaders, significant opportunities to extend our leadership in the global PC market, while bringing sustainable growth to our enterprise business,” he said.

Lenovo said that no changes to its business strategies either for its PC or enterprise businesses will result from the executive changes.

Shell and Jia appear to be on Lenovo’s executive fast track. In March, Lenovo elevated Shell, who at the time headed its commercial and consumer laptop, desktop, workstation and monitor business, to PC Business Group senior vice president. Jia also was promoted to PC & EBG Global Operations senior vice president, handling global supply chain operations.

In that flurry, Smith, a nine-year company veteran, was promoted from head of Lenovo’s Enterprise Business Group in the Americas to his current broader role.

The vendor’s PC and enterprise groups aren’t its only units in flux. Last week, Lenovo confirmed it will fold its existing mobile business under the Motorola umbrella as part of a restructuring to emphasize the better-known brand, extend its market reach and maximize sales.

Rick Osterloh, who formerly headed Motorola Mobility before it was acquired by Lenovo last year for some $2.91 billion, will oversee the merged operation that includes Lenovo Mobile employees. Motorola will handle all product design, development and manufacturing, Lenovo said.