Michael Dell shares a ‘special note’ for COO Jeff Clarke as he completes 39 years with the PC maker
Dell COO and vice chairman Jeff Clarke recently completed 39 years with the PC company. He announced the milestone with a photo of his old company ID card on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “Today marks 39 years @Dell.” Time flies when you’re having fun.” Responding to Clarke’s post, Dell CEO Michael Dell shared a “special note” for Clarke and wrote, “We’ve been very fortunate to work with @JClarkeatDell for so long. Your impact continues to increase every day! 🤝🙏”Clarke joined PC’s Limited, which later became Dell Technologies, as a 24-year-old engineer. On LinkedIn, he marked 39 years with the company by writing: “39 years in the books. Walked into PC’s Limited — now @Dell Technologies — as a 24-year-old engineer with a lot to learn. Still learning and more convinced than ever that the best is yet to come. 🙂”Michael Dell also shared a longer reply on LinkedIn, writing: “39 years. What a run! It’s hard to put into words what you’ve meant to Dell Technologies and to me. You’ve shaped who we are, pushed us to win again and again, and made everyone around you better. Thank you Jeff Clarke for your continued leadership, your partnership, and your friendship! 🙏”
Jeff Clarke completes 39 years as Dell prepares for One Dell Way transformation
Clarke’s anniversary comes months after Dell Technologies announced that it is preparing for changes to its internal systems and processes under its One Dell Way initiative. As reported by Business Insider, Clarke outlined the plan in a memo to employees in January and described it as the “biggest transformation in company history.”The initiative is designed to replace Dell’s multiple apps, servers and databases with a single enterprise platform intended to connect data, reduce silos and standardise processes across the company. Clarke said the changes are expected to provide seamless data flow, reduce repetitive work and speed up decision-making.“This is a comprehensive change, not a gradual transition. Once we start operating in the new way on May 3, we won’t go back,” Clarke wrote in the memo.The One Dell Way rollout reportedly began on May 3, and it covers Dell’s Client Solutions Group, finance, supply chain, marketing, sales, revenue operations, services and HR operations. The Infrastructure Solutions Group, which handles cloud offerings, data servers and AI infrastructure, is scheduled to follow in this month.
Dell’s One Dell Way initiative focuses on AI-driven operations
Clarke said standardising the company’s processes is necessary as Dell prepares for an AI-driven business environment. He noted that Dell’s functional structure had led to multiple approaches to fundamental processes and said the company needs a simplified, automated way of working.“For years, our strong functional orientation meant we built many variations of fundamental processes. That won’t cut it in an AI-driven world. We need one way — simplified, standardized, and automated — so we can be more competitive and serve our customers better,” he said.A Dell spokesperson told Business Insider that the One Dell Way initiative is intended to “simplify processes, standardize systems, and use automation to create a more connected and efficient organization.”The company reportedly began employee training for the transition on February 3, with the first phase of the new systems scheduled to go live on May 3. Employees whose roles span both business groups are expected to work with the new processes for the Client Solutions Group while continuing to use legacy systems for the Infrastructure Solutions Group until its August rollout.In his memo, Clarke also asked employees to remain open to new systems, embrace standardisation and operate with urgency during the transition.“This is foundational to our success in an AI-driven world, and One Dell Way is how we get there—working as one company, with one set of processes, focused on what matters most,” Clarke wrote.
