Nearly seven months after being ousted as chief executive at Acer, Gianfranco Lanci appears to have found a new home at mainland computer giant Lenovo Group.
Lanci, the outspoken Italian behind Taiwan-based Acer's rapid ascent in the computer industry over the past decade, was named by Lenovo late on Friday as a consultant who will work directly with top executives at the world's third-largest supplier of personal computers.
'As a consultant to us, Gianfranco brings years of expertise and insights to Lenovo that will help us strengthen our growing global consumer business,' Lenovo chief executive Yang Yuanqing said.
Based in Italy, Lanci will be focused on Lenovo's integration of Medion, a leading German consumer electronics company that was recently acquired by the group. Lenovo plans to accelerate its expansion in Europe through the Euro466 million (HK$5 billion) takeover, its biggest investment since acquiring IBM's personal computer business for US$1.75 billion in 2005.
Lanci has been asked to 'significantly enhance Medion's consumer presence, [distribution] channels, and capabilities in Western Europe', a Lenovo spokeswoman said. Market research firm International Data Corp (IDC) estimated that Medion had a 4 per cent market share in western Europe in the first quarter, while Lenovo had 0.5 per cent.
'Managing a multi-brand product portfolio is certainly going to be a challenge, as well as to expand in European countries where both Medion and Lenovo have a small footprint,' IDC research manager Eszter Morvay said.
