Dell CFO Yvonne McGill’s 26 years at the company led to the C-suite. Here’s how she got there

Dell Technologies is doubling down on generative AI.

The Round Rock, Texas-based tech company, one of the biggest global IT products and services providers, has been producing servers and PCs that support generative AI applications like ChatGPT. Dell has also been partnering with companies, including Nvidia, a leading maker of data center gear used in AI systems. 

An AI server, which Dell took three years developing with Nvidia, is an example of “the expansion of a portfolio to be inclusive of AI opportunities,” says Dell Technologies CFO Yvonne McGill, “and a piece of our longer-term strategy that continues to evolve.”

I met with McGill in New York City on Oct. 5 following the company’s securities analyst meeting. We talked about the company’s latest announcements and her new role as CFO. 

The company has three new additions to its overall GenAI package including Dell Validated Design for GenAI for Model Customization. This means a user can essentially create a blueprint of pre-tested combinations of technology that allows you to tailor generative AI models to complete specific tasks with your proprietary data. The blueprint prevents you from having to build models from scratch repeatedly. Another solution is the integration of Dell’s PowerEdge compute platform and storage with Starburst’s analytics software for easier and more secure access to multi-cloud data. And the third new offering is professional services to teach new users how to do all of this.  

“It’s the beginning of this next journey that we’re on,” McGill says. “I tell my team I love that we’re at this point where you can imagine how to do things differently. We can have a greater impact on our customers and our company.” 

Dell believes the business will deliver revenue growth of 3-4% over the long-term, McGill says. This is underpinned by 2-3% long-term growth in its client solutions group and 6-8% growth in its infrastructure solutions group, she explains. Dell plans to return over 80% of its adjusted free cash flow to shareholders, through dividends or repurchases, McGill says. 

The company reported a record year in 2022 as full-year revenue reached $102.3 billion, up 1% from 2021, despite a rough fourth quarter when its computer shipments fell 37%. The AI demand in the market is a tailwind for Dell. Shares of DELL finished at a record high on Sept. 1 at $68.19.

Building a career at Dell

The company announced in March that McGill would succeed longtime CFO Tom Sweet upon his retirement, making her the first woman to become finance chief at Dell. McGill began the role this past August, but she’s been with Dell since 1997. Corporate controller and CFO of the Infrastructure Solutions Group, CFO of Asia-Pacific, Japan and China business, and chief accounting officer were some of her previous leadership roles. Her first job at Dell was as finance manager. McGill is also a founding member and current global sponsor of Women in Action, one of Dell’s employee resource groups. 

“I’ve had so many different opportunities at Dell over the past 26 years,” McGill says. A combination of finding the right mentors, listening a lot, taking feedback from people, and a variety of roles prepared her for the C-suite. However, she also had to step outside of her comfort zone.

“Some of the roles I was super excited about,” McGill explains. “And some of the roles, I thought, ‘Hmm, I’m not sure that’s going to be the best role.’ And my mentors and my manager said, ‘No, I really think this is going to help you develop [the skills you need].’”

“One of the roles I had was order processing manager,” she says. As a trained CPA, McGill never thought she’d be in that position. “But what I learned was how to listen to the customer,” she says. And how to make sure the company is meeting customer expectations, McGill adds. “That foundational layer, that I didn’t know I needed, was just invaluable,” she says. There will be different times in your career where you’re given “opportunities, or you could call them risks, however you want to see it,” and you should take them because they will help you grow, McGill says. 

“This is the first time I’ve done a securities analyst meeting on stage,” she tells me. “So, think of all the firsts that I’m getting to experience in my first quarters as CFO. It’s wonderful.”

What does McGill do when she’s not on the clock? You might find her on the football field. “I have three children,” she says. “My youngest is a sophomore in high school and he plays football. He was just on the homecoming court last weekend, and I got to escort him on the field. It was so fun.”

Sheryl Estrada
[email protected]

Leaderboard

Big deal

LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company have released the ninth annual Women in the Workplace report, a comprehensive study on the state of women in corporate America. The 2023 report, based on data from more than 270 companies and more than 27,000 employees, aims to break down four myths about women's experiences at work by data-driven insights into the challenges they face at each step on the corporate ladder.

One of the key findings is most employees surveyed say that opportunities to work remotely and have control over their schedules are top company benefits, second only to health care. Flexibility at work even ranks above benefits such as parental leave and childcare, according to the report. 

Going deeper

"Stephanie Linnartz ended a successful run at Marriott to become CEO at struggling Under Armour. ‘I believe in taking calculated risks,’" a new Coins2Day feature article by Maria Aspan, delves into how Linnartz hopes to turn around a company hurt by slumping growth and controversies surrounding its founder.

Overheard

“I was even calling CEOs of other companies to see if they would hire our people.”

—Brian Chesky, cofounder and CEO of Airbnb recalled on a new episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast the email he sent to Airbnb staffers announcing the layoff of 1,900 colleagues, and then revealed he went to unusual lengths to get his former employees a new job.