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Key people at Perot Systems.
Perot Systems was a multinational information technology services provider, offering a comprehensive suite of consulting, systems integration, and outsourcing solutions. The company specialized in designing, implementing, and managing complex IT infrastructures and applications for large enterprises across various industries. Its core capabilities centered on leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency and strategic business outcomes for clients.
The company was founded on June 1, 1988, by Henry Ross Perot, a prominent entrepreneur known for his prior success in the IT services sector. Alongside eight former colleagues from Electronic Data Systems (EDS), which Perot had previously founded and sold to General Motors, he established Perot Systems. The founding insight stemmed from Perot's belief in the enduring need for expert IT management and strategic technology consulting in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Perot Systems served a diverse client base, primarily large corporations and government entities seeking advanced IT support and strategic guidance. The company’s long-term vision was to be a trusted partner in digital transformation, helping organizations navigate technological change and maximize their IT investments. By focusing on deep industry expertise and client-centric solutions, Perot Systems aimed to continuously deliver high-value IT services that propelled its customers forward.
Key people at Perot Systems.
Perot Systems was an information technology (IT) services and consulting company founded in 1988 by H. Ross Perot and eight associates, primarily former executives from his earlier venture, Electronic Data Systems (EDS).[1][2][3] It specialized in helping businesses manage technology networks through consulting, systems integration, software development, and operations, targeting industries like energy, financial services, healthcare, and travel, with a later emphasis on healthcare digitization and automation of medical records.[2][3] The company grew rapidly, going public on the NYSE in 1999, peaking with 24,000 employees across 25 countries, and was acquired by Dell Inc. in 2009.[3][4][5]
Perot Systems served large enterprises, governments, and mid-sized clients such as banks and the U.S. Postal Service, solving problems like cost reduction in IT operations, custom application development, and infrastructure management—often competing directly with EDS by focusing on higher-margin consulting rather than pure outsourcing.[1][2][5] Its growth momentum was strong in the 1990s, with revenue hitting $993.6 million and net income at $40.5 million by 1998, driven by strategic hires, acquisitions, and innovations like curbside check-in systems for rental cars.[1][5]
H. Ross Perot, a self-made billionaire who founded EDS in 1962 and sold it to General Motors for $2.5 billion in 1984, launched Perot Systems in June 1988 alongside his son Ross Perot Jr. and eight EDS alumni, including Morton Meyerson.[1][2][3][5] After a contentious split from GM, Perot's non-compete clause barred profitable operations against EDS until December 1989, so the team worked for free for 18 months while securing early contracts like a cost-cutting deal with the U.S. Postal Service.[1][2]
Pivotal early moments included landing Europcar as its first major European client in 1992, developing innovative Unix-Oracle systems for rental car tracking, and shifting focus under Meyerson (who took over as CEO when Perot ran for president) from outsourcing to consulting.[1][2][5] The company expanded via acquisitions like Platinum Software's division in 1994 and executive hires such as James Cannavino from IBM in 1995, achieving rapid scale—surpassing EDS's size in just seven years.[1][3]
Perot Systems rode the 1990s boom in IT services and outsourcing, capitalizing on enterprises' need to modernize networks amid digitization trends, especially in healthcare where it pioneered electronic records automation.[2][3] Timing was ideal post-Perot's EDS exit, as the sector exploded—IT services now exceed $1 trillion globally—positioning it against giants like EDS, IBM, and AT&T through aggressive client poaching and European footholds.[2][5]
Market forces like rising demand for cost-efficient IT amid Y2K preparations and industry consolidation favored its model, influencing the ecosystem by normalizing high-margin consulting and specialized verticals like healthcare IT.[3] Its Dell acquisition in 2009 underscored its role in consolidating the outsourcing space, paving the way for cloud and virtual integration services it had begun exploring.[3][4]
Perot Systems exemplified Perot's entrepreneurial legacy in IT services, scaling from a non-compete workaround to a $1 billion powerhouse before its 2009 Dell acquisition integrated it into a larger services empire.[3][4] Post-acquisition, its healthcare and government expertise bolstered Dell's portfolio, evolving amid cloud shifts and AI-driven IT.
Looking ahead, Perot Systems' DNA persists through the Perot family's Petrus Asset Management, which applies similar long-term capital to tech investments, potentially fueling next-gen IT innovators in healthcare digitization and enterprise automation.[4] Trends like AI infrastructure and cybersecurity will shape descendants of its model, amplifying the Perot influence from services pioneer to enduring ecosystem builder—echoing Ross Perot's Texas ethos of perseverance.[4]
