Harvard Business School
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Michael Dell

Dell Computer Corporation

1984–Present

Dell Computer Corporation

1984–Present

Industry: Computers & Electronics

Era: 1980

In 1992, Dell, at 27 years of age, became the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Dell revolutionized the retail computer industry by instituting a direct sales approach, where the customer places their customized order via phone or the internet directly with Dell Computer versus a retail store. In 1998, Dell generated $18.2 billion in revenues, and its total annualized shareholder return that year was 249%.