In 1996 Richard Guha inherited a business which was formed out of Continental Cablevision and the cable interests of US West.  Our objective was to grow market value. We believed that our technology would allow us to introduce high-speed Internet access, new digital video products and IP telephony, but consumers kept saying in the strongest possible terms that no existing brand name would have any credibility in this.  In the circumstance, he decided that the best way was to completely rebrand the company to allow the company to launch the first broadband service, IP telephony, and digital video.  Not only did he change “look and feel,” but also product and service.  He had the advantage of inventing a new category – “broadband” – but the principles are applicable anywhere.  The advertising talked about bringing together two existing companies to form a completely new kind of company.  This was wildly successful – far more than outside experts, many of whom predicted failure, had expected.  Careful tracking and monitoring of all activities was made easy by the fact that MediaOne was an independently traded tracking stock from US West on the NYSE, and we saw a business which US West acquired in 1996 for $10.8 Billion, sold to AT&T two and a half years later, after the rebranding and new product launches, for $62 Billion – an almost six-fold increase!

Reliant Energy Case Study

In 1998 Richard Guha became President of Houston Industries’ Retail (Consumer and Industrial) Business. Houston Industries was one of the largest combination utility and energy companies in the world, with a market capitalization over $12 Billion. The objective was to grow market value. As the US energy market was about to be deregulated, he knew the company would have to, for the first time, compete with other companies. However, it was clear that our brand name was woefully misleading, and we lacked all customer relationship systems.  Richard decided that the best way was to completely rebrand the company and implement sophisticated information systems to reach the consumer directly, as well as introducing new services such a alternative energy and telephone service.  Not only did he change “look and feel,” but also product and service.  The new name selected was Reliant Energy. While the revenue from alternative energy, such as wind, solar, and batteries, was modest, they helped to reposition the company, and grow revenue of core products and services, in some cases, several times.  Selection of SAP ERP and Siebel CRM systems, was followed by implementation on time and on budget.  When, two years later, the company was split up into four entities, each of the new companies had a market value great than the entire original business.