Lenovo Group (LNVGY) announced that its Board of Directors has appointed William J. Amelio as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Amelio most recently was Senior Vice President of Dell Inc. and President, Asia-Pacific and Japan, before which he served in senior executive and operating positions at NCR Corp., Honeywell International Inc., AlliedSignal Inc. and IBM, including General Manager of Worldwide Operations for IBM's Personal Computing Division. He is succeeding Stephen M. Ward, Jr., who has agreed to assist in the transition and serve as a consultant to the Company.

Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo's Chairman, said, "With our integration of IBM's PC Division on track and our organizational integration complete, we are accelerating our planning for our next phase of growth. Steve and Lenovo's board agreed that now is the right time for this transition. Bill Amelio's combined experience – in our industry, in emerging and mature markets, in senior operational roles and with IBM — gives him the perfect profile to lead Lenovo from the important stability we have achieved in the first phase of our integration, to the profitable growth and efficiency improvement to which we are committed in our next phase."

Amelio said, "I am very excited to lead this ground breaking global enterprise. Lenovo provides me a unique chance to draw on the skills I have developed in every component of my career. Lenovo has a solid foundation in place and enormous opportunities, and I look forward to working with Yuanqing and the entire team to continue the drive to enhance profitable growth."

Robert Moffat Jr., IBM's Senior Vice President for Integrated Operations, said, "A year after we announced this historic transaction and partnership between IBM and Lenovo, we are pleased with Lenovo's progress and prospects for the future – as a partner, customer and shareholder. IBM remains fully committed to Lenovo and our mutual customers."

Amelio will join Lenovo effective immediately. He served in his most recent position, with responsibility for strategy and operations across the region, since 2001. During his tenure, sales more than doubled in the region and service levels improved significantly, as measured by third-party customer satisfaction metrics.