Fiorina ready to discuss 'most successful hi-tech merger in history'

HPagiography

By Ashlee Vance in Chicago • Get more from this author

Posted in IT Director, 6th May 2005 17:46 GMT

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Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina has reemerged as brash and bold as ever on the public speaking circuit.

Fiorina is the Washington Speakers Bureau's newest featured presenter, knocking the likes of former FCC Chairman Michael Powell and former Secretary of State Colin Powell from the "spotlight" position on the company's web site.

What's Fiorina's dynamic topic of choice?

"In (here) dynamic presentation, Carly Fiorina, former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard, uses her personal experiences to share with audiences the three essential elements that espouse her vision of leadership - Character, Capability and Collaboration," the speaker agency writes.

Fiorina will also touch on Change, Competitiveness, Women in Leadership and Technology, as needed.

But many of you will likely find another topic more interesting. In the complete biography for the former HP chief, we learn that, "Fiorina successfully led HP's controversial merger with Compaq Computer Corp., now recognized as the most successful high-tech merger in history."

Really? We seem to recall Fiorina being pushed out of HP in April largely because of lingering problems associated with the Compaq acquisition. Perhaps they meant "now recognized by Fiorina, her parents and friends" as the most successful high-tech merger in history.

You'll also discover that Fiorina played a major role in "returning HP to its roots of innovation and inventiveness." We assume this refers to the company's printer business and not its outsourcing of chip production, software writing and device making to other companies.

How much will it cost to get Fiorina at your gig? Well, she's on the "please call for price" list, which puts Fiorina at well over $40,000 a pop. ®