Close
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking

    Enrico Digirolamo

    By
    eWEEK EDITORS
    -
    April 23, 2001
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Acting CEO, Covisint

      Age: 46

      Education: Bachelors from Central Michigan University, MBA from Eastern Michigan University and completed the International Executive Program at the International Institute for Management Development

      Car: Chevrolet Corvette

      Stress reliever: “Golf. I absolutely love golf. I try to play every single day.”

      Enrico Digirolamo has had an interesting career, working in analytical and management positions, with posts in Germany and Spain. As acting CEO of giant automotive industry exchange Covisint, he may have the most interesting assignment of all. After spending most of his working life at General Motors, Digirolamo was charged with getting fierce rivals Ford Motor and DaimlerChrysler to work together to take advantage of the Internet. Started 13 months ago, Covisint today has more than 300 employees and claims to have traded more than $2 billion worth of goods, primarily through auctions. After a lengthy search, Digirolamo handed over his duties last week to Kevin English, the exchanges new CEO. English, 48, previously was managing director for electronic commerce at Credit Suisse First Boston and, prior to that, CEO of TheStreet.com. Digirolamo spoke with Senior Writer Mike Cleary just prior to the transition.

      What are your financial objectives?

      We have financial objectives for all sorts of things, like burn rate, spending, revenue. For most of those factors, were on track. Were behind a little on revenue, for which I say its the FTC [Federal Trade Commission]. They took a long time to look us over. That held us back.

      What prepared you for this job?

      Every single job has prepared me. Several years ago, I studied why health-care costs caused GM a problem. Thats the kind of complex problem were facing here. Later, I was involved in a joint venture between GM and Isuzu [Motors]. That taught me about relations with another culture. Then I was in Spain as the comptroller of our European operation. That was a baptism in trying to sell cars in 15 countries with different currencies and languages.

      How does your job compare with that of the chief information officer?

      My job is more focused on providing business leadership, coaching. A CIO is more concerned with what technology you use, the architecture of products and how that fits in. We have a combination of CIO and CTO [chief technology officer].

      Whats your biggest failure?

      I dont think negatively enough.

      Well, what was the biggest challenge?

      Bringing together people that worked at three fierce competitors. When they came in, it was Bill from GM, Jane from Ford, Sally from DaimlerChrysler. We rallied them around a common mission. By the time we organized six months later, it was Bill or Jane in the product group or the technology group.

      And what are the challenges today?

      [Business-to-business] was touted as a savior. B2B has been around for thousands of years, back to the time when the Greeks were paying drachmas in the square. Now, companies like GE [General Electric] use fax, EDI [electronic data interchange], carrier pigeon, whatever. Were shifting from a medium to another. It should be faster. It should be transparent. It should provide for easier access. These represent formidable challenges. [Businesses] want to think about that.

      Avatar
      eWEEK EDITORS

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more
      eWeek


      Contact Us | About | Sitemap

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      Terms of Service | Privacy Notice | Advertise | California - Do Not Sell My Information

      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×