A little more than a year after taking over the leadership position of troubled U.S. computer maker Gateway, J. Edward Coleman has resigned as the company’s CEO, leaving leadership of the firm in the hands of Acer executive Rudi Schmidleithner. Taiwanese computer maker Acer recently completed its $710 million acquisition of Gateway, simultaneously giving it a foothold in the North American market while foiling rival Lenovo’s aspirations in both North America and Europe (through a related, dependent acquisition of Packard Bell).
When Coleman took over Gateway, the company has been leaderless for almost half a year, weakly dismissing offers to buy all or parts of the company (like John Hui’s mid-2006 move on Gateway’s retail business) while struggling to find direction. Coleman is credited for handling the sale of Gateway to Acer, as well as launching the post-acquisition integration program with its new corporate owner.
Coleman will step down at the end of January 2008, although Acer is installing Rudi Schmidleithner at the head of Gateway immediately. Schmidleithner has been leading Acer’s Pan America Organization since 2004.
