CEO Diane Greene is assembling a crack team of executives to help the virtualization-software maker tackle new economic and competitive pressuresVMware's longtime Chief Executive, Diane Greene, has a lengthy history of doing the unexpected.
After the old-line Massachusetts computer firm EMC (EMC) bought her Silicon Valley startup in 2004, Greene fought hard to maintain the company's autonomy. She then pulled off 2007's most successful initial public offering when EMC spun out 10% of the shares. She spurned a buyout offer from Microsoft (MSFT) in 2002 and has since positioned VMware (VMW) as a formidable rival to its former suitor. Last year, VMware moved into an airy, eco-friendly headquarters in the wooded hills near Stanford University after disagreeing with majority owner EMC over the builders and the cost.
In each case, VMware co-founder Greene bucked the conventional wisdom. Now, with VMware's once high-flying stock grounded and competition rising, she may need to counter it again, proving to Wall Street that she's got the mettle to lead VMware through its next chapter.
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