Former HP Exec Blackmore Resurfaces at Unisys

Blackmore, a former Compaq senior executive who took on the job as executive vice president of HP's Customer Solutions Group after HP's acquisition of Compaq, was handed his walking papers by HP in August in the wake of a$208 million third-quarter operating loss for his division.

Blackmore has now taken over as executive vice president, worldwide sales and marketing at Unisys, reporting directly to Unisys President and CEO Joseph W. McGrath, according to the company. He also has been elected a corporate officer by the Unisys Board of Directors.

In a statement, McGrath said he was "delighted" to have recruited someone of Blackmore's caliber to Unisys. "Peter brings us world-class, customer-oriented strategic experience, in both technology and services," he said in the statement.

Blackmore joined Compaq in 1991 and served there in a number of senior management positions, his last as executive vice president of worldwide Sales and Services before the HP acquisition. He also was senior vice president, North America, and vice president and general manager, Enterprise Systems Europe.

Before joining Compaq, Blackmore was marketing director for Rank Xerox in the United Kingdom. He started his career with Burroughs Corporation, where he held senior sales and marketing management positions.

Unisys sources say Blackmore will assume the responsibilities of Chief Marketing Officer Leigh Alexander, who left the company last week.

Blackmore "consolidates all sales and all marketing and also has advertising," an insider said.