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HOT TOPICS
- The Accelerator Conundrum
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- The Future: End of Capitalism
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tom werner
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 7)
SunPower went public in 2005, which is a monumental moment for most firms. It is always interesting to take note of firms who do not press the IPO, rather they wait for banks to begin courting them. Tom revisits that timeframe and explains SunPower’s progression during that period in thehistory of the company. SM: You
Tapping Into the Sun
In India, the scorching tropical sun is worshipped as a God. These days, it appears that countries like Germany and Japan, and more recently, sunny California are following suit. Solar energy, one of the purest forms of alternative energy, is making headways in becoming a major market phenomenon. I have recently been speaking with Tom
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 6)
The later half of 2004 marked the beginning of production operations. SunPower began producing solar cells, a result of $150M of capital investments. On the books, this timeframe represents the greatest period of loss in the company’s history, due largely to the development of the new production lines. It was, of course, necessary. SM: What
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 5)
Tom joined SunPower in 2003, and the IPO occurred in 2005. Here we review the steps the company took in that timeframe which led to not only a successful IPO, but also laid the foundation for its current success. SM: Between the time you showed up and the IPO, what was happening to the business
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 4)
During its early phases SunPower was, out of necessity, not as focused of a company as it is now. It engaged in several other business areas to ensure positive cashflow, yet such activities detracted from the development of high efficiency solar cells which became one of its core competencies. SM: Did SunPower engage in any
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 3)
In this next segment of the interview, Tom takes us through the history of SunPower. From the inception, it was a company driven by innovation, yet faced the common business challenges which have been the demise of numerous other hi-tech startups. SM: Can you briefly tell us about the history of SunPower? TW: SunPower is,
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 2)
Here Tom discusses his transition into SunPower. He also provides some basic information about the solar power marketplace. SM: How far along was SunPower at the time? TW: It was 60% owned by Cypress, and they were at the prototype stage. They were prototyping the high efficiency solar cell for the target market it was
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 1)
Thomas H. Werner has served as the CEO and as a member of the board of directors of SunPower since 2003. SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR) designs, manufactures and markets high-performance solar electric technology worldwide. SunPower’s high-efficiency solar cells and modules generate up to 50 percent more power per unit area than conventional solar technologies and
