1 00:00:04,050 --> 00:00:06,539 Sean Aylmer: Welcome to the Fear and Greed daily interview. I'm Sean 2 00:00:06,540 --> 00:00:10,799 Sean Aylmer: Aylmer. Tech companies worldwide have had an interesting run over 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,590 Sean Aylmer: the past couple of years. Many of them boomed during 4 00:00:13,590 --> 00:00:16,979 Sean Aylmer: the pandemic as our lives moved online. Of course, as 5 00:00:16,980 --> 00:00:20,070 Sean Aylmer: lockdowns lifted and borders reopened, much of the heat came 6 00:00:20,070 --> 00:00:22,230 Sean Aylmer: out of the tech sector, but the way we work 7 00:00:22,230 --> 00:00:26,189 Sean Aylmer: will likely never be the same again. We're fortunate today 8 00:00:26,189 --> 00:00:28,679 Sean Aylmer: to be joined by an Australian leader at a global 9 00:00:28,679 --> 00:00:33,598 Sean Aylmer: technology company. In an era of tech startups, HP known 10 00:00:33,598 --> 00:00:36,329 Sean Aylmer: for many years as Hewlett Packard is one of the 11 00:00:36,330 --> 00:00:41,280 Sean Aylmer: true originals, having been founded back in 1939. Dave McQuarrie 12 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,969 Sean Aylmer: is the chief commercial officer at HP. He's usually based 13 00:00:44,970 --> 00:00:46,740 Sean Aylmer: in the US but he's in Australia for a couple 14 00:00:46,740 --> 00:00:49,170 Sean Aylmer: of days. Dave, welcome to Fear and Greed. 15 00:00:49,559 --> 00:00:50,729 Dave McQuarrie: Thank you. Thanks for having me. 16 00:00:51,900 --> 00:00:54,570 Sean Aylmer: Dave. I love the fact that an Australian called Dave 17 00:00:54,570 --> 00:00:57,720 Sean Aylmer: has been so successful on Wall Street. That's my starting 18 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:02,490 Sean Aylmer: question. I'm not sure how you answer it. 19 00:01:03,060 --> 00:01:03,420 Dave McQuarrie: What's your question? 20 00:01:07,170 --> 00:01:08,549 Sean Aylmer: I knew you were coming on the show and I 21 00:01:08,549 --> 00:01:11,399 Sean Aylmer: wanted to call you David, and immediately everyone said No, 22 00:01:11,459 --> 00:01:14,940 Sean Aylmer: call him Dave. Everyone knows him as Dave and it's 23 00:01:14,940 --> 00:01:18,539 Sean Aylmer: kind of maybe in a commercial role, it's kind of being able 24 00:01:18,540 --> 00:01:21,330 Sean Aylmer: to be accessible or something is a great thing. Anyway, 25 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,609 Sean Aylmer: I do want to talk about your job as chief 26 00:01:23,610 --> 00:01:27,209 Sean Aylmer: commercial officer. What you do is you're accountable for all 27 00:01:27,209 --> 00:01:30,600 Sean Aylmer: aspects of sales, go to market and revenue and margin 28 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,830 Sean Aylmer: generation on a global scale for HP. How do you 29 00:01:34,830 --> 00:01:36,120 Sean Aylmer: do that? What's in the job? 30 00:01:37,620 --> 00:01:41,130 Dave McQuarrie: Well, firstly on the Dave, the reason that I'm Dave, 31 00:01:41,130 --> 00:01:43,109 Dave McQuarrie: I'm Dave here in Australia to all of my mates 32 00:01:43,110 --> 00:01:46,289 Dave McQuarrie: and I have been since I grew up here. My 33 00:01:46,289 --> 00:01:48,660 Dave McQuarrie: mom still calls me David, and I know that when I- 34 00:01:49,050 --> 00:01:49,201 Sean Aylmer: Of course. 35 00:01:49,201 --> 00:01:52,620 Dave McQuarrie: - when I get David in any personal setting, I 36 00:01:52,620 --> 00:01:56,040 Dave McQuarrie: know I'm in trouble. But the reason I'm Dave at 37 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:57,930 Dave McQuarrie: HP is that when I joined the company, there were 38 00:01:58,170 --> 00:02:00,330 Dave McQuarrie: two other Davids in the team I joined and it 39 00:02:00,330 --> 00:02:03,209 Dave McQuarrie: became pretty easy to become Dave and it's stuck there 40 00:02:03,210 --> 00:02:03,690 Dave McQuarrie: since then. 41 00:02:04,469 --> 00:02:06,780 Sean Aylmer: Well, it's better than better than Davo, let's be honest. 42 00:02:07,380 --> 00:02:08,310 Dave McQuarrie: I get that occasionally. 43 00:02:08,820 --> 00:02:09,090 Sean Aylmer: Right. 44 00:02:10,620 --> 00:02:14,280 Dave McQuarrie: So what does the job entail#? As you described it's 45 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,638 Dave McQuarrie: making sure that we serve our customers, serve our partners 46 00:02:17,669 --> 00:02:19,768 Dave McQuarrie: in a way that allows us to achieve our financial 47 00:02:19,770 --> 00:02:22,529 Dave McQuarrie: goals and manage all of the ways we go to 48 00:02:22,529 --> 00:02:25,680 Dave McQuarrie: market. So we go to market predominantly through our channel 49 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,959 Dave McQuarrie: partners. And with our channel partners we have a small 50 00:02:28,169 --> 00:02:31,919 Dave McQuarrie: direct business for our largest customers who expect that and 51 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,820 Dave McQuarrie: demand that from their technology vendors and ensuring that each 52 00:02:35,820 --> 00:02:38,729 Dave McQuarrie: quarter and each year we deliver for our shareholders the 53 00:02:38,730 --> 00:02:40,020 Dave McQuarrie: financial results that are possible. 54 00:02:40,770 --> 00:02:43,470 Sean Aylmer: Okay. When you talk about channel partners, just explain that 55 00:02:43,470 --> 00:02:45,720 Sean Aylmer: to listeners who aren't familiar with the terminology. 56 00:02:45,930 --> 00:02:49,830 Dave McQuarrie: Sure. We sell, as you know, PCs and printers and 57 00:02:49,830 --> 00:02:52,410 Dave McQuarrie: the solutions and services that go around them and often, 58 00:02:52,679 --> 00:02:55,080 Dave McQuarrie: almost all the time in our case, we sell them 59 00:02:55,110 --> 00:02:59,190 Dave McQuarrie: through and with partners in the technology space. So first, 60 00:02:59,190 --> 00:03:02,518 Dave McQuarrie: that may include a distributor. There are very large distributors 61 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,540 Dave McQuarrie: in Australia, the likes of Dicker Data, Ingram Micro, Tech 62 00:03:06,540 --> 00:03:09,450 Dave McQuarrie: Data Synnex, big, big partners that we sell to and 63 00:03:09,450 --> 00:03:14,669 Dave McQuarrie: with who then fulfill through to value added resellers, who 64 00:03:14,669 --> 00:03:16,769 Dave McQuarrie: are a part of that same channel, who will add 65 00:03:16,770 --> 00:03:20,940 Dave McQuarrie: services and other offerings around our product and technology who'll 66 00:03:20,940 --> 00:03:23,519 Dave McQuarrie: then sell that and serve that to end customers from 67 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,550 Dave McQuarrie: the smallest businesses through to the largest corporations in government. 68 00:03:27,510 --> 00:03:31,409 Sean Aylmer: Okay. Now HP or Hewlett Packard as it was known 69 00:03:31,530 --> 00:03:35,699 Sean Aylmer: is an incredible brand. Surely that must help you along 70 00:03:35,699 --> 00:03:37,950 Sean Aylmer: the way having a brand, I mean being a tech 71 00:03:37,950 --> 00:03:41,400 Sean Aylmer: company that started in 1939, you're probably the grandfather of 72 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,770 Sean Aylmer: tech companies or one of the few grandparents of tech 73 00:03:43,770 --> 00:03:46,110 Sean Aylmer: companies, but that brand's been an amazing thing. 74 00:03:46,830 --> 00:03:49,469 Dave McQuarrie: It has, and as you rightly point out, we go 75 00:03:49,500 --> 00:03:52,919 Dave McQuarrie: all the way back to being born just before the 76 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,360 Dave McQuarrie: Second World War and having survived and thrived and evolved 77 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,210 Dave McQuarrie: over those decades. We've seen a lot and we've been 78 00:04:00,210 --> 00:04:03,000 Dave McQuarrie: involved in a lot. The most recent iteration, if you 79 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,780 Dave McQuarrie: like, of the company is post split about eight years 80 00:04:06,780 --> 00:04:09,329 Dave McQuarrie: ago where the part of the company that I'm in, 81 00:04:09,389 --> 00:04:12,090 Dave McQuarrie: PC's, printers and the solutions around them split off from 82 00:04:12,090 --> 00:04:17,130 Dave McQuarrie: the services and networking, storage, high- end enterprise infrastructure. And 83 00:04:17,130 --> 00:04:22,349 Dave McQuarrie: yes, we do benefit from long strong relationships with customers. 84 00:04:22,349 --> 00:04:24,690 Dave McQuarrie: Customers who've come to know us through all of their 85 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,799 Dave McQuarrie: time interacting with technology and with that channel community that 86 00:04:28,799 --> 00:04:32,250 Dave McQuarrie: I described who've relied on HP. And around the world 87 00:04:32,250 --> 00:04:36,060 Dave McQuarrie: we are a 56 or so thousand person strong company. 88 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,870 Dave McQuarrie: But the partner community, the organizations that we work with 89 00:04:39,870 --> 00:04:42,660 Dave McQuarrie: to serve our customers is 10 times that large. And 90 00:04:42,660 --> 00:04:44,820 Dave McQuarrie: so we have a big impact and we feel a 91 00:04:44,820 --> 00:04:48,000 Dave McQuarrie: big responsibility to maintain both the legacy and the contribution 92 00:04:48,420 --> 00:04:50,700 Dave McQuarrie: that the company has established over those decades. 93 00:04:51,630 --> 00:04:55,680 Sean Aylmer: Okay. Now, when Covid-19 hit, HP was under offer about 94 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,130 Sean Aylmer: a 35 billion US offer, it was then abandoned as 95 00:04:59,130 --> 00:05:01,979 Sean Aylmer: the pandemic worsened. It was very early 2020, the world 96 00:05:01,980 --> 00:05:05,339 Sean Aylmer: changed at that point, but in hindsight, that was largely 97 00:05:05,339 --> 00:05:09,029 Sean Aylmer: seen as a win for HP. Can you just explain 98 00:05:09,029 --> 00:05:12,089 Sean Aylmer: why all the media says that and what's the evolved 99 00:05:12,089 --> 00:05:12,810 Sean Aylmer: for HP? 100 00:05:13,620 --> 00:05:16,920 Dave McQuarrie: Yeah. At that time in our history, we maintained and 101 00:05:16,950 --> 00:05:19,768 Dave McQuarrie: I think history has proven accurate that the value of 102 00:05:19,770 --> 00:05:22,440 Dave McQuarrie: the company was far higher. We were able to grow 103 00:05:22,500 --> 00:05:26,010 Dave McQuarrie: our business in the pandemic. During the pandemic it became 104 00:05:26,010 --> 00:05:29,310 Dave McQuarrie: clear that the PC and the printer was essential. People 105 00:05:29,310 --> 00:05:33,600 Dave McQuarrie: went from working in offices, learning in schools, to doing 106 00:05:33,630 --> 00:05:35,729 Dave McQuarrie: all of those things from home and the need for 107 00:05:35,820 --> 00:05:38,969 Dave McQuarrie: good technology that would enable them to do that became 108 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:43,020 Dave McQuarrie: screamingly obvious and we were able to support customers all 109 00:05:43,020 --> 00:05:45,570 Dave McQuarrie: around the world with that technology. So what was clear 110 00:05:45,570 --> 00:05:49,229 Dave McQuarrie: to us, both during the pandemic and post pandemic is 111 00:05:49,230 --> 00:05:52,110 Dave McQuarrie: that what we offer is something that is not just 112 00:05:52,469 --> 00:05:57,479 Dave McQuarrie: an optional accessory, but a critical dependency, a critical tool 113 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,750 Dave McQuarrie: for learning and working anywhere in the world. And we 114 00:06:00,750 --> 00:06:04,170 Dave McQuarrie: think that there's much more growth in our business and in 115 00:06:04,170 --> 00:06:07,289 Dave McQuarrie: those spaces as we continue to serve those products and 116 00:06:07,290 --> 00:06:10,740 Dave McQuarrie: services to customers. And as we continue to evolve in 117 00:06:10,740 --> 00:06:16,650 Dave McQuarrie: the direction of things that are subscriptions, recurring offerings, contractual 118 00:06:16,650 --> 00:06:21,000 Dave McQuarrie: services that we provide to customers, as this technology continues 119 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,299 Dave McQuarrie: to prove itself essential. So we see and continue to 120 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:27,989 Dave McQuarrie: see that the company is best placed the way we 121 00:06:27,990 --> 00:06:30,809 Dave McQuarrie: are as a public company serving all of those customers 122 00:06:30,809 --> 00:06:33,238 Dave McQuarrie: and growing for those customers and with those customers and 123 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,320 Dave McQuarrie: partners and like you said, and as we saw proved 124 00:06:37,410 --> 00:06:39,299 Dave McQuarrie: very true during the pandemic and we're very happy with 125 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:40,350 Dave McQuarrie: how things sit today. 126 00:06:40,890 --> 00:06:42,870 Sean Aylmer: Stay with me Dave, we'll be back in a minute. 127 00:06:49,049 --> 00:06:52,860 Sean Aylmer: I'm speaking to Dave McQuarrie, Chief Commercial Officer at HP. 128 00:06:53,789 --> 00:06:56,969 Sean Aylmer: Okay. Now I appreciate you have results coming out fairly 129 00:06:56,970 --> 00:06:59,490 Sean Aylmer: soon. So I'm not asking you about anything around the 130 00:06:59,490 --> 00:07:03,270 Sean Aylmer: results, but if you look at other companies who benefited 131 00:07:03,270 --> 00:07:06,928 Sean Aylmer: during the pandemic, they've really struggled since the pandemic. Some 132 00:07:06,928 --> 00:07:09,089 Sean Aylmer: of the very big tech companies have been talking about 133 00:07:09,089 --> 00:07:12,540 Sean Aylmer: cutting capital expenditure, reducing costs, et cetera. It must be 134 00:07:12,540 --> 00:07:17,070 Sean Aylmer: a more challenging period though for companies like HP who 135 00:07:17,370 --> 00:07:20,460 Sean Aylmer: benefited because of all those things you said, but just going forward 136 00:07:20,460 --> 00:07:22,620 Sean Aylmer: in the next couple of years, going back to business 137 00:07:22,620 --> 00:07:23,190 Sean Aylmer: as usual. 138 00:07:23,670 --> 00:07:26,790 Dave McQuarrie: Well, there are certainly pockets of the business where the 139 00:07:26,790 --> 00:07:30,119 Dave McQuarrie: growth into and during the pandemic has fallen away, but 140 00:07:30,119 --> 00:07:32,700 Dave McQuarrie: overall, the markets that we serve are larger than they 141 00:07:32,700 --> 00:07:35,520 Dave McQuarrie: were before the pandemic. The demand for this type of 142 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,450 Dave McQuarrie: product is higher in value and what people use this 143 00:07:39,450 --> 00:07:41,640 Dave McQuarrie: for. I mean what we used to use PCs for 144 00:07:41,849 --> 00:07:44,190 Dave McQuarrie: particularly and what we now use them for has changed 145 00:07:44,190 --> 00:07:46,859 Dave McQuarrie: dramatically. And so the need for them, the number of 146 00:07:46,859 --> 00:07:48,990 Dave McQuarrie: people who use them, what they use them for, it's 147 00:07:48,990 --> 00:07:50,340 Dave McQuarrie: gone up and we don't think it's going to go 148 00:07:50,340 --> 00:07:53,310 Dave McQuarrie: back. The spike, if you like, of the pandemic was 149 00:07:53,730 --> 00:07:56,970 Dave McQuarrie: as people acquired more of this technology, but the ongoing 150 00:07:56,970 --> 00:08:00,990 Dave McQuarrie: need for it, the ongoing refresh of it will continue. 151 00:08:01,290 --> 00:08:04,350 Dave McQuarrie: And more importantly perhaps are both the pockets of opportunity 152 00:08:04,379 --> 00:08:07,890 Dave McQuarrie: within the overall market, pockets like gaming a big growth 153 00:08:07,890 --> 00:08:11,280 Dave McQuarrie: market, lots of, I'm sure you have lots of gamer 154 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,670 Dave McQuarrie: listeners who'll tell you and me why having the best 155 00:08:14,670 --> 00:08:17,069 Dave McQuarrie: gear, making sure they're upgrading it as often as they 156 00:08:17,099 --> 00:08:20,099 Dave McQuarrie: possibly can and need to to stay current and spending 157 00:08:20,099 --> 00:08:22,379 Dave McQuarrie: more time on their device and using it for much 158 00:08:22,379 --> 00:08:25,920 Dave McQuarrie: more demanding activities means these are markets that will continue 159 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,010 Dave McQuarrie: to grow. And as I said, there's also this belief 160 00:08:29,010 --> 00:08:31,890 Dave McQuarrie: we have that we will see in our industry, as 161 00:08:31,890 --> 00:08:35,610 Dave McQuarrie: in many others, a continued move towards a subscription or 162 00:08:35,610 --> 00:08:38,849 Dave McQuarrie: a contractual motion for the way people acquire this technology. 163 00:08:38,849 --> 00:08:41,609 Dave McQuarrie: It's happened in many other industries that we're all intimately 164 00:08:41,609 --> 00:08:44,550 Dave McQuarrie: familiar with and we are seeing it already. For example, 165 00:08:44,550 --> 00:08:46,740 Dave McQuarrie: Instant Ink is an offering in our print business where 166 00:08:46,740 --> 00:08:49,710 Dave McQuarrie: you buy a printer and then you rather than buy 167 00:08:49,710 --> 00:08:51,718 Dave McQuarrie: the cartridge, you pay by the page and you pay 168 00:08:51,719 --> 00:08:53,940 Dave McQuarrie: on a recurring monthly amount that you can move up 169 00:08:53,940 --> 00:08:57,029 Dave McQuarrie: or down depending on your needs. We see that continuing 170 00:08:57,030 --> 00:09:00,389 Dave McQuarrie: to expand and we see that continuing to grow into 171 00:09:00,389 --> 00:09:02,699 Dave McQuarrie: the PC area as well. So even though the market 172 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:06,088 Dave McQuarrie: has experienced a contraction and there are pockets of lower 173 00:09:06,179 --> 00:09:09,510 Dave McQuarrie: market size than we had during the pandemic, the market 174 00:09:09,510 --> 00:09:11,999 Dave McQuarrie: is structurally larger and the opportunities within it are there 175 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:12,809 Dave McQuarrie: for us to go after. 176 00:09:13,650 --> 00:09:15,780 Sean Aylmer: Yeah, I just wanted focus on Instant Ink for a 177 00:09:15,780 --> 00:09:19,020 Sean Aylmer: moment. I mean, I know our business, we subscribe, and 178 00:09:19,020 --> 00:09:21,449 Sean Aylmer: so when the printers running out of ink, this is 179 00:09:21,450 --> 00:09:24,540 Sean Aylmer: my understanding at least, it basically arrives in the mail 180 00:09:24,540 --> 00:09:27,090 Sean Aylmer: where you get a new cartridge. So it just removes 181 00:09:27,090 --> 00:09:30,179 Sean Aylmer: that pain of running out of ink and then finding 182 00:09:30,179 --> 00:09:32,190 Sean Aylmer: yourself four days later still out of ink and trying 183 00:09:32,190 --> 00:09:34,919 Sean Aylmer: to get somewhere to buy it. That sort of service 184 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,550 Sean Aylmer: model is that, because you're a goods company, but is that 185 00:09:38,550 --> 00:09:40,980 Sean Aylmer: service model something you'll push more and more into? 186 00:09:42,300 --> 00:09:43,920 Dave McQuarrie: We should put you on the payroll, Sean, that was 187 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:48,420 Dave McQuarrie: a very clear description of the value and the value 188 00:09:48,420 --> 00:09:51,989 Dave McQuarrie: proposition of Instant Ink. The the printer will tell us 189 00:09:52,020 --> 00:09:54,480 Dave McQuarrie: when it's getting close to running out of ink. If 190 00:09:54,540 --> 00:09:58,350 Dave McQuarrie: your usage patterns change otherwise yes, indeed as your ink 191 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:00,690 Dave McQuarrie: runs low in the cartridge, we'll send you a new 192 00:10:00,690 --> 00:10:02,968 Dave McQuarrie: one and you always have one there ready to go 193 00:10:03,270 --> 00:10:06,330 Dave McQuarrie: for when that moment occurs. And yes is the answer 194 00:10:06,330 --> 00:10:09,059 Dave McQuarrie: to your question. We will continue to expand upon the 195 00:10:09,059 --> 00:10:12,840 Dave McQuarrie: offering. We will continue to make it available to more 196 00:10:13,140 --> 00:10:15,330 Dave McQuarrie: customers, both more customers around the world and more of 197 00:10:15,330 --> 00:10:18,330 Dave McQuarrie: the customers of different products that we sell. Because again, 198 00:10:18,630 --> 00:10:23,009 Dave McQuarrie: that convenience that you are describing, that motion that we are 199 00:10:23,010 --> 00:10:25,830 Dave McQuarrie: all used to buying and using products on has proven 200 00:10:25,830 --> 00:10:28,080 Dave McQuarrie: itself. And so we think yes, we ought to, and 201 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,000 Dave McQuarrie: we are in the process of continuing to grow that 202 00:10:30,210 --> 00:10:32,458 Dave McQuarrie: motion and we do it through and with many of 203 00:10:32,460 --> 00:10:34,230 Dave McQuarrie: our channel partners around the world. So this is not 204 00:10:34,230 --> 00:10:37,199 Dave McQuarrie: something where it changes the company strategy of how we 205 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,988 Dave McQuarrie: get products to customers. It's just an acknowledgement that the 206 00:10:39,990 --> 00:10:41,429 Dave McQuarrie: way customers buy is evolving. 207 00:10:42,420 --> 00:10:44,429 Sean Aylmer: It's also reduced a lot of swearing in our office 208 00:10:44,429 --> 00:10:45,929 Sean Aylmer: too. Dave, just keep that in mind. 209 00:10:47,789 --> 00:10:48,750 Dave McQuarrie: I'm delighted to hear that. 210 00:10:49,470 --> 00:10:52,500 Sean Aylmer: I'm talking to Dave McQuarrie, Chief Commercial Officer of HP. 211 00:10:52,500 --> 00:10:56,010 Sean Aylmer: Where does Australia fit into the tech space globally? We've 212 00:10:56,010 --> 00:10:58,800 Sean Aylmer: got a couple of really standout performers, Atlassian is one, 213 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:02,819 Sean Aylmer: Canvas, another, and then we have individuals like yourself who 214 00:11:02,820 --> 00:11:06,359 Sean Aylmer: have done incredibly well in the world's biggest market. But 215 00:11:06,719 --> 00:11:09,300 Sean Aylmer: then how do we play? Where do we rank? 216 00:11:09,809 --> 00:11:11,730 Dave McQuarrie: Well, you can look at it just by the numbers 217 00:11:11,730 --> 00:11:14,340 Dave McQuarrie: and Australia ranks. Australia punches a little bit above its 218 00:11:14,340 --> 00:11:16,830 Dave McQuarrie: weight in just the size of our market or the 219 00:11:16,830 --> 00:11:20,610 Dave McQuarrie: relative spend on technology. But I think where shine is 220 00:11:20,639 --> 00:11:23,670 Dave McQuarrie: the culture and the way that people think and operate. 221 00:11:23,699 --> 00:11:28,348 Dave McQuarrie: Australia is a country, I think of lateral thinkers. It's 222 00:11:28,350 --> 00:11:31,170 Dave McQuarrie: a skill I practice and continue to work on every 223 00:11:31,170 --> 00:11:35,218 Dave McQuarrie: day. And I think Australians are adaptable. We live in 224 00:11:35,219 --> 00:11:37,708 Dave McQuarrie: a part of the world where we are both a 225 00:11:37,710 --> 00:11:41,129 Dave McQuarrie: very large country, but we're in a very large growing, 226 00:11:41,129 --> 00:11:46,050 Dave McQuarrie: prosperous and diverse complicated region. And I love that about 227 00:11:46,380 --> 00:11:48,300 Dave McQuarrie: the place we hold in both our region and the 228 00:11:48,300 --> 00:11:53,520 Dave McQuarrie: world. And I also think the openness Australians tend to 229 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,700 Dave McQuarrie: generally have to finding new ways to do things, that 230 00:11:56,700 --> 00:12:01,290 Dave McQuarrie: resilience Australians have demonstrated over the decades works well, serves 231 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,350 Dave McQuarrie: us well, and serves companies well in industry. And there 232 00:12:04,350 --> 00:12:06,809 Dave McQuarrie: is a love for travel and for getting out and 233 00:12:06,809 --> 00:12:10,259 Dave McQuarrie: getting around the world, which many Australians, including me, have 234 00:12:10,260 --> 00:12:14,970 Dave McQuarrie: applied and companies find useful. So I've encountered many successful 235 00:12:15,420 --> 00:12:19,679 Dave McQuarrie: Australians around our business and around our industry and in 236 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:21,718 Dave McQuarrie: different parts of the world. And I think that all 237 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,840 Dave McQuarrie: of those qualities allow us to punch significantly above our weight. 238 00:12:25,350 --> 00:12:27,270 Sean Aylmer: I have to ask you, I once interviewed the chief 239 00:12:27,270 --> 00:12:30,690 Sean Aylmer: marketing officer from Kellogg. This is quite a few years 240 00:12:30,690 --> 00:12:32,578 Sean Aylmer: ago, and he actually went to university in Bathurst. He 241 00:12:32,580 --> 00:12:35,010 Sean Aylmer: was an Australian guy and he said when he first 242 00:12:35,010 --> 00:12:38,850 Sean Aylmer: got to the US he was too open and too 243 00:12:38,850 --> 00:12:41,670 Sean Aylmer: blunt. And he said it was interesting, just for six 244 00:12:41,670 --> 00:12:46,469 Sean Aylmer: months or so, he just had to learn diplomacy. And 245 00:12:46,469 --> 00:12:47,639 Sean Aylmer: I mean, he didn't put it that way. I'm putting 246 00:12:47,639 --> 00:12:48,929 Sean Aylmer: words in his mouth here, but he just sort of 247 00:12:48,929 --> 00:12:52,289 Sean Aylmer: said his natural manner, his CEO just said, " Hey, just 248 00:12:52,289 --> 00:12:55,620 Sean Aylmer: remember when you are dealing in this country," the US 249 00:12:55,620 --> 00:12:57,750 Sean Aylmer: in this instance, " it's a bit of a different take 250 00:12:57,750 --> 00:13:00,780 Sean Aylmer: on it." And obviously he learned and he was very 251 00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:05,130 Sean Aylmer: successful. Do you find that openness and that sometimes you 252 00:13:05,130 --> 00:13:06,240 Sean Aylmer: just have to catch yourself? 253 00:13:06,809 --> 00:13:09,029 Dave McQuarrie: I do. And I mean, I've been living abroad for 254 00:13:09,030 --> 00:13:12,449 Dave McQuarrie: 20 years and I've lived in Singapore a couple of 255 00:13:12,449 --> 00:13:17,460 Dave McQuarrie: times, Denmark, Norway, France. You get to practice that everywhere 256 00:13:17,460 --> 00:13:19,800 Dave McQuarrie: you are. And so yes, I would say that's true 257 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,440 Dave McQuarrie: in every country that you go to a greater or 258 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,470 Dave McQuarrie: a lesser extent. And in the US there are parts 259 00:13:25,530 --> 00:13:27,870 Dave McQuarrie: of the US, places in the US, where you'll find 260 00:13:27,870 --> 00:13:31,740 Dave McQuarrie: them very much like you're an open Aussie and there 261 00:13:31,740 --> 00:13:33,690 Dave McQuarrie: are parts where they're a little bit more reserved. And 262 00:13:33,750 --> 00:13:36,780 Dave McQuarrie: that cultural sensitivity is a critical thing. And I think 263 00:13:36,780 --> 00:13:38,400 Dave McQuarrie: Australians are quite good at it and it sounds like 264 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,800 Dave McQuarrie: the gentleman you were describing was able to adapt quickly. 265 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:41,790 Sean Aylmer: Absolutely. 266 00:13:42,719 --> 00:13:45,150 Dave McQuarrie: So yes is the answer, and it's something which I 267 00:13:45,150 --> 00:13:48,090 Dave McQuarrie: think we all get a chance to practice. And Australians 268 00:13:48,090 --> 00:13:48,478 Dave McQuarrie: are no different. 269 00:13:49,289 --> 00:13:53,130 Sean Aylmer: Final question on philanthropy and the role big organizations like 270 00:13:53,130 --> 00:13:56,010 Sean Aylmer: HP have to play. Now I have a vested interest 271 00:13:56,010 --> 00:13:58,590 Sean Aylmer: here, in the middle of Covid my partner runs a medium- 272 00:13:58,590 --> 00:14:02,309 Sean Aylmer: sized charity and they really needed help. And HP came 273 00:14:02,309 --> 00:14:04,529 Sean Aylmer: to the party and provided them with a lot of 274 00:14:04,529 --> 00:14:09,750 Sean Aylmer: hardware, which allowed them incredible efficiencies. And she's the CEO 275 00:14:09,750 --> 00:14:11,640 Sean Aylmer: of the group. And when I said I was talking 276 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,460 Sean Aylmer: to you today, she cannot speak highly enough of the 277 00:14:14,460 --> 00:14:16,650 Sean Aylmer: fact that HP came to the party at that point. 278 00:14:16,950 --> 00:14:19,830 Sean Aylmer: How important is it for a big organization like HP 279 00:14:20,070 --> 00:14:23,279 Sean Aylmer: to be part of the community, to have a philanthropic side? 280 00:14:23,699 --> 00:14:25,800 Dave McQuarrie: It goes all the way back to the founders. It's 281 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,500 Dave McQuarrie: something which, I mean, I didn't mention this earlier, but 282 00:14:28,500 --> 00:14:31,170 Dave McQuarrie: my dad used to work for HP and he worked 283 00:14:31,170 --> 00:14:33,750 Dave McQuarrie: here in Australia for HP for 13 years. I grew up around 284 00:14:33,750 --> 00:14:37,290 Dave McQuarrie: the HP way, hearing stories from him about Bill and 285 00:14:37,290 --> 00:14:40,619 Dave McQuarrie: Dave and the way the company felt its role in 286 00:14:40,619 --> 00:14:43,800 Dave McQuarrie: the community was much further than just serving it products 287 00:14:44,130 --> 00:14:47,670 Dave McQuarrie: and services. And so we have been since our earliest 288 00:14:47,670 --> 00:14:50,250 Dave McQuarrie: days of that view, and I'm delighted to hear that 289 00:14:50,250 --> 00:14:53,219 Dave McQuarrie: we did the right thing with your partner's charity. And 290 00:14:53,219 --> 00:14:55,679 Dave McQuarrie: it's something that we take very seriously everywhere. So not 291 00:14:55,679 --> 00:14:58,619 Dave McQuarrie: just philanthropy, but the sustainability, which you could argue is 292 00:14:58,619 --> 00:15:02,190 Dave McQuarrie: a application of that same principle to the planet and 293 00:15:02,190 --> 00:15:05,760 Dave McQuarrie: it's inhabitants. Equally important we've set aggressive goals, which we're 294 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,160 Dave McQuarrie: getting after them. We think we've got the right level 295 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:12,270 Dave McQuarrie: of ambition in them. Extremely important. It runs through everything 296 00:15:12,270 --> 00:15:13,680 Dave McQuarrie: we do and everyone in the company. 297 00:15:14,130 --> 00:15:15,870 Sean Aylmer: Dave, thank you for talking to Fear and Greed. 298 00:15:16,379 --> 00:15:17,400 Dave McQuarrie: My pleasure. Thanks for the time. 299 00:15:18,270 --> 00:15:21,870 Sean Aylmer: That was Dave McQuarrie, Chief Commercial Officer at HP. This 300 00:15:21,870 --> 00:15:24,030 Sean Aylmer: is the Fear and Greed daily interview. Join us every 301 00:15:24,030 --> 00:15:26,519 Sean Aylmer: morning for the full episode of Fear and Greed Australia's 302 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,029 Sean Aylmer: most popular business podcast. I'm Sean Aylmer. Enjoy your day.