Richard Belluzzo
Rick Belluzzo | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 26, 1953 |
| Occupation | Technology executive |
| Known for | Leadership roles at Hewlett-Packard, Silicon Graphics, Microsoft, Quantum Corp., Viavi Solutions |
Richard "Rick" Belluzzo (born November 26, 1953) is a seasoned American executive with leadership roles at Hewlett-Packard (HP), Silicon Graphics (SGI), Microsoft (MS), Quantum Corp. (QTM), and Viavi Solutions (VIAV). He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Golden Gate University.
Belluzzo dedicated 23 years to HP, finishing his tenure as executive vice president of the computer division. In January 1998, he took over as chairman and CEO of SGI, following Edward R. McCracken. At both HP and SGI, he championed the transition from proprietary platforms to industry-standard technologies—a strategy that sparked debate. During his time at SGI, the company experienced losses in five out of six quarters.
In August 1999, Belluzzo joined Microsoft to head the MSN division. He later expanded his responsibilities to include the entire Consumer business and played a key role in launching the first Xbox. By February 2001, he was promoted to president and chief operating officer, overseeing daily operations amid the leadership change from Bill Gates to Steve Ballmer. He departed Microsoft in 2002.
Following this, Belluzzo assumed the CEO position at Quantum Corp., guiding its evolution from tape drive manufacturing to broader storage solutions. In August 2015, he acted as Interim CEO at Viavi Solutions, overseeing the separation of JDSU into two publicly traded entities.
After leaving Quantum, Belluzzo invested in startups based in Italy and joined venture capital firm Innogest Capital as a partner in 2017. That same year, he received the Cavaliere Della Repubblica Italiana (Italian Knighthood) from the President of Italy.