Throughout the PC boom of the 1990s, Michael Dell and his namesake hardware became ubiquitous as the underdog competitor to the big names in personal computing such as IBM and Compaq. Like many of today’s tech giants, Dell started his company from his dorm room, upgrading and rebuilding IBM PCs while still a student at the University of Texas, Austin. More than three decades later, Dell has watched the PC market expand and evolve into individuals’ everyday lives through smart phone technology and unparalleled connectivity.
But the CEO of Dell Technologies holds a unique advantage, from his own beginning as a young entrepreneur to becoming an established name in tech before the age of 60. As the computing industry increasingly moves toward a cloud-based future, Dell is determined to stay at the front of the fast-changing tech landscape by shifting focus to software and services.
Although he doesn’t attract as much public attention as some of his peers, Dell has had the foresight to stay competitive with the big tech names of the 21st century. With the growing trend of providing software, and other technologies, as a service, his company is committed to offering everything it can in this model. In 2016, Dell acquired data storage and cloud computing giant EMC, making it one of the largest suppliers of data storage in the world.
Additionally, the acquisition included VMware, an innovator of virtualization software, giving Dell an even stronger foothold in the ever-expanding data storage market. Dell hopes that with a robust array of hardware, software, storage, and services at their command, consumers will find greater consistency and synergy with its all-encompassing line of products.
As an executive, Dell seeks to contribute to the betterment of the global technology ecosystem, but he also understands his personal responsibility as a leader and billionaire. Along with his wife Susan, he founded the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation in 1999, aimed at supporting families and children in poverty around the world. They have committed a large fraction of their personal wealth earned through Dell Technologies, over $600 million and counting, to improving the health and education of underserved communities. Going forward, Dell hopes to maintain his steady pace with the ever-changing future, both online and on the ground.
