Advani: Each of these companies has different business model. We are very focused on customers that we serve. There are some companies which focus just on efficiency like Dell and Acer. They are efficient and will not do R&D so their price is very low. Other companies like Apple and Sony said I am going to innovate. Lenovo came to the table saying we can do both. We innovate and we are efficient too. We want to put more innovation in the hands of more people. The positioning is what people think of you in their mind. It is very believable and credible that Lenovo is innovative and efficient. China side gives us the benefit of efficiency. IBM side gives us the benefit of innovation. So the way we compete with Dell and HP and everybody else is to bring together a unique proportion of innovation and efficiency to our customers. Our biggest disadvantage is our economy of scale because our competitors are much larger in volumes. But we can overcome that by targeting on innovation and efficiency.

Yong Tang: Do you envision a day when Lenovo becomes a global brand and even more famous than IBM?

Advani: IBM is a very strong brand. We are trying everyday to make Lenovo a global brand. Our goal is, not only people here but also people around the world know us. They will have an emotional connection with Lenovo. Becoming a name is one thing but having a deep emotional connection with the company is quite another. That is what our aspirations are: to become a brand that people around the world love. (END)

Bio:

Deepak Advani is senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Lenovo. Previously, he was the vice president of marketing for IBM's Personal Computing Division. His experience includes a strong blend of technology and business. With IBM for 12 years, Mr. Advani was part of the team that built a $1 billion supercomputer business in four years; and, as the vice president of Strategy and Market Development, he crafted IBM's early strategies around Linux. He was the general manager for the high-end Intel server business, where, under his leadership, IBM went from third in market share to first in two years.

Mr. Advani has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a master's degree in Computer Engineering, as well as an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is on the advisory board at Michigan State University. He has lectured at several universities on the topics of business strategy, brand management, and personal leadership.

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