Ten CFOs to Watch in 2010: Marilyn Crouther, HP Enterprise Services
Present: Chief Financial Officer of U.S. Public Sector, HP Enterprise Services
Career highlights: Over 21 years of experience, served in healthcare and communications industry groups, and in corporate finance, before taking on current role in U.S. public sector.
Personal: Crouther enjoys sewing, reading devotional books and “weird but true,” accounting literature.
2010 Tips:
- Drive value in the most competitive way. “Everyone is either in a budget deficit or budget crunch right now, so there’s even more heightened focus on competitive pricing and providing the best solution and the best value for our clients. Return on investment and accountability will be especially critical.”
- Anticipate change. “It’s a cliché to say, ‘The only thing that is constant is change,’ but that’s so true in today’s environment. The economy, the competition, the client and their ability to fund projects, as well as their ideas about what they need, are all constantly changing. Being able to anticipate change is essential.”
Full Interview:
ExecutiveBiz: Let’s start with the HP integration. How’s it going?
Marilyn Crouther: We’ve experienced tremendous growth this year and the integration activities are progressing well. The combination of EDS’ and HP’s expertise in services and products has created the opportunity to bring the best of both worlds to our customers. With integration tracking ahead of plan, services ended the fiscal year with strong momentum in signings and a significant number of new logo wins. In order to achieve this success, we’ve kept a number of balls in the air while never losing focus on serving our client base. As I look back on the last 12 months, it has been quite a successful journey.
ExecutiveBiz: What successful benchmarks can you share based on the integration?
Marilyn Crouther: We are HP Enterprise Services now and part of the world’s largest technology company. The name change emphasizes our global presence and our ability to deliver end to end capabilities for our clients. We are a global power and hold the recognition of the HP brand coupled with a robust technology services portfolio, we are well positioned for growth and even more enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.
ExecutiveBiz: What’s the number one issue you believe CFOs need to tackle these days?
Marilyn Crouther: There are the typical business requirements like ensuring the most efficient cost structure, improving cash flows and ensuring profitable growth, but what stands above the day to day in my mind is accountability. Developing and sustaining a systematic and rational way of tracking taxpayer dollars could go a long way in helping our clients to be successful. The government has been funding a lot of initiatives over the past year. The most successful vendors will help the government deliver the outcomes that matter most to them and showcase return on investment.
ExecutiveBiz: How is HP responding to this issue?
Marilyn Crouther: We stand ready to partner and provide world class Information technology services and platforms to help the government at all levels transform existing processes and infrastructure as well as help them manage and track performance and budget dollars/returns.
ExecutiveBiz: You’ve been in government contracting for 10 years. How does this past year compare?
Marilyn Crouther: I would say this that this past year has been one of the most challenging because of the instability in the economy. Traditionally, difficulties have come in specific areas of the business or specific industries but not across the board or in so many areas. It seems on every front there is a challenge, which means that on every front there is also an opportunity. Never have the opportunities been so great. The success will be choosing the right opportunities to seize.
ExecutiveBiz: What opportunities can we expect HP Enterprise Services to seize in 2010?
Marilyn Crouther: In 2010 we will focus on bringing to bear the full spectrum of HP enterprise services, products, and abilities to our clients in the public sector with specific focus on cyber security, healthcare, defense, and intelligence. The goal is to expand our customer base by maintaining a servant’s heart while delivering best-in-class and innovative solutions at all times. We will continue to leverage our consulting capabilities. Our HP Enterprise Services U.S. Public Sector consulting market segment is focused on delivering high-value consulting projects. Also, throughout HP and especially in the public sector business, we will continue to partner with small businesses and support our mentor protégé relationships and programs. And last, but certainly not least, in 2010 we will continue to develop, keep and attract the best talent to support our clients and our business.
Posted by Staff Writer
on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010. Filed under Executive Spotlight.
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