Dell Thursday announced that Michael Cannon, the president and CEO of electronics maker Solectron, will head a newly formed group that will oversee much of the company’s operations, including manufacturing, procurement and suppliers.Cannon’s appointment is the latest sign of a management shake-up under way at Dell, and underscores the seriousness of the challenges facing the company.Paul Tufano succeeds Cannon and will serve as interim CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe Once the PC industry’s superstar, Dell has struggled in recent quarters. The company lost its title of world’s largest PC vendor to a resurgent Hewlett-Packard. The company also faces scrutiny from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into its accounting practices, which forced the company to delay filing its financial results for the second and third quarters of 2006. In addition, Dell last year recalled millions of defective laptop batteries after they were determined to pose a potential fire risk to customers.In a bid to turn things around, Dell CEO Kevin Rollins was replaced last month by Michael Dell, the company’s chairman. Dell’s return was accompanied by warnings that the company’s financial results for the fourth quarter, to be announced March 1, will fall below analyst expectations. Cannon, who was president and CEO of hard-disk maker Maxtor—now part of Seagate Technology—before joining Solectron, will be responsible for improving Dell’s manufacturing operations after he starts work on Feb. 26. His responsibilities include opening factories that are closer to customers and improving the company’s supply chain, Dell said, noting that plans are under way to add new factories in India, Poland and Brazil.The ultimate goal, according to Dell, is to improve product quality while shortening manufacturing times and reducing costs.-Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service (Singapore Bureau)Related Links: Dell Cost Cuts Described in Leaked Memo Dell Investors File Suit Over Accounting Practices Michael Dell Back in Charge as Rollins Departs DellCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content feature 6 IT rules worth breaking — and how to get away with it IT is a discipline of policies, protocols, and firm guidelines. But sometimes breaking bad is the only logical thing to do. Here’s how to do so while mitigating risks. By John Edwards Sep 26, 2023 8 mins IT Strategy IT Strategy IT Strategy tip 8 questions CIOs should ask to prime their business for gen AI Gen AI has captured the attention of companies worldwide with speed and force, and, in turn, has significant implications for business operations, models, products, and services. And business leaders are taking note. By Diana Bersohn and Lan Guan Sep 26, 2023 7 mins CIO Generative AI Application Management opinion Rediscovering the value of information By emphasizing information technology over information management, we have exposed ourselves to what poor information practices can cost us, not what robust information strategies can create. By Thornton May Sep 26, 2023 5 mins Data Architecture Privacy Data Management feature 10 digital transformation questions every CIO must answer Impactful DX requires a business-centric approach supported by the right skills, culture, and strategy. Here’s how to assess whether your digital journey is on the path to success. By Mary K. Pratt Sep 25, 2023 12 mins Digital Transformation IT Strategy IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe