Dell Inc. said Thursday that Michael Dell, the PC maker"s founder, will relinquish the chief executive post in July but remain as company chairman.
The company said Kevin Rollins, currently president and chief operating officer, will serve as president and CEO. The move comes a day after Walt Disney Co. took the chairman"s job away from Michael Eisner but kept him as CEO. But Dell (DELL: Research, Estimates)"s actions do not appear to have the any of the contentiousness that led to Eisner"s ouster as chairman. Michael Dell has taken on a role as more of a big picture thinker for the company in recent years while Rollins has assumed more of the day-to-day spotlight. Rollins has been with Dell since 1996 and was named president and COO in March 2001. "The pending title change is consistent with current primary roles: Mr. Dell emphasizing trends in technology and customer preference, including research and development, Mr. Rollins leading company strategy and operations," the company said in a written statement.