It’s up to Fortune online readers to pick its “Fantasy Sports Executive League” all-stars, and a good number of their choices have Triangle connections.
In the online fantasy league contest focusing on corporate executives that runs through Aug. 9, Fortune picks the leaders of Lenovo, IBM, Apple, NovoNorisk and others as candidates for top pitcher – the “aces” of their respective corporate lineups.
Several other all-star “positions” likely will draw Triangle votes.
Squaring off for “pitcher” are Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yang Yuanqing and IBM’s chair/CEO Ginny Rometty. An interesting pairing, given that Lenovo acquired IBM’s fading PC brand (based in Raleigh) and has turned that deal into a ranking as No. 1 global leader. Many former IBMers still work for Lenov, which operates its executive headquarters in Morrisville.
“The computer maker he runs may be based in Beijing, but Yang has assembled a truly diverse management team of executives from around the globe, many of whom have worked for rivals such as Apple and Dell,” Fortune says about Yang. “Such international insights are paying off: Lenovo is seeking to become a leading tech vendor in the emerging world, and under Yang, Lenovo has surged—it is poised to become the world’s No. 1 PC maker. Still, the stock, which trades on the Hong Kong stock exchange, has remained essentially flat for the past five years.”
As for Rometty, Forunte notes: “Rometty has degrees in computer science and electrical engineering, and she earned accolades during her years in sales at IBM. Now, as CEO (a post she’s held since January 2012), she calls on those skills and more to convince corporate customers and investors that IBM’s technology can do more than calculate and analyze data—these systems can actually learn what a company’s problems are and offer advice on how to solve them. The futuristic-sounding vision could give the company a much-needed jolt: For the year, the stock is flat and has underperformed the broader market.”
Lars Sorensen, CEO of NovoNordisk, also is on the CEO list. NovoNordisk runs one of its largest manufacturing plants in Johnston County.
Also in the running for top pitcher is Apple’s Tim Cook.
Fortune is looking to field a team of nine “players.”
In addition to the pitcher/CEO, positions are:
- Catcher/COO
- First Baseman/CFO
- Second Baseman/CIO
- Shortstop/Designer-Engineer
- Third Baseman/CMO
- Left Fielder/Non-Executive Chairman
- Center Fielder/Entrepreneur in Residence
- Right Fielder/Utility Player
Triangle Connections
Cisco’s Gary Moore and Rebecca Jacoby are in the running for the COO and CIO spots respectively.
IBM’s Jeanette Horan is a CIO candidate.
Ralph de la Vega of AT&T is among the COO contenders.
Former IBM leader Sam Palmisano is on the “Left Fielder” list.
And “Pony” Ma Huateng, the newest Triangle connection member, is up as a “Center Fielder.” Ma leads China-based Internet giant Tencent, which now owns a huge stake in Cary-based Epic Games.
So how will you vote?
