Bei Juniper und HPE stehen Kunden immer an erster Stelle

6. Februar 2024

Von Rami Rahim, CEO, Juniper Networks

 

2024 hat fantastisch begonnen.

Bereits kurz nachdem wir im vergangenen Monat die endgültige Übernahme von Juniper Networks durch HPE angekündigt haben, hatte ich die Gelegenheit, viele unserer globalen Vertriebsteams beim Juniper Sales Kickoff zu treffen, und war fasziniert von der spürbaren Begeisterung. Genau wie ich ist das Team von Juniper stolz auf die herausragenden Erfolge, die wir bisher mit unserer KI-Technologie erzielen konnten (und die wir mit unserer KI-nativen Plattform für Unternehmensnetzwerke auf eine neue Stufe gebracht haben, sodass sich vielversprechende Möglichkeiten ergeben).

Wie ich in meinem Blog  bereits bei der erstmaligen Ankündigung der Übernahme erwähnt habe, müssen wir auch weiterhin bereit zu  mutigen Schritten sein, um die einmaligen Chancen zu nutzen, welche die KI bietet. Gerade dies spricht für den Zusammenschluss mit HPE. Und angesichts der Tatsache, dass es immer mehr Benutzer und Geräte gibt, während die Branche zugleich vom Fachkräftemangel betroffen ist und ein reibungsloses Funktionieren von Netzwerken erwartet wird, ist unser Experience-First-Ansatz für Unternehmensnetzwerke wichtiger denn je. Aber Experience steht bei uns nicht nur für bahnbrechende Technologie. Es geht auch um den Schutz der Investitionen unserer Kunden.

Und lassen Sie mich hierzu deutlich sagen: Unser Ziel bei diesem Zusammenschluss besteht nicht darin, Produkte vom Markt zu nehmen, sondern darin, ein breiteres Sortiment und mehr Innovationen für alle unsere Service- und Cloud-Provider- sowie Enterprise-Kunden anzubieten.

Ich bin der gleichen Meinung wie  HPE CEO Antonio Neri,  dass das zukünftig zusammengeführte Unternehmen die besten Chancen haben wird, die KI in Unternehmensnetzwerken entscheidend voranzubringen und dass das konsequentes Engagement für unsere Kunden der echte Schlüssel zum Erfolg ist. Aus diesem Grund freue ich mich darauf, nach dem Zusammenschluss die kombinierten Sparte Unternehmensnetzwerke zu führen und unseren Kunden branchenweit führende Innovationen bereitzustellen.

Derzeit laufen die ersten Gespräche zur Planung der Integration. Ich kann Ihnen jedoch bereits jetzt versichern, dass für Juniper Kunden und Partner auch weiterhin an erster Stelle stehen werden und dass wir unseren vertraglichen Verpflichtungen und Richtlinien in Bezug auf Support, Services und Produktlebenszyklen nachkommen werden. Ich möchte ebenso betonen, dass Juniper bestrebt ist, die Transaktion und den nachfolgenden Integrationsprozess so reibungslos wie möglich zu gestalten und dabei Mehrwert für unsere Kunden und Partner zu generieren.

Durch die Bekanntschaft mit Antonio habe ich verstanden, dass HPE ein wertebasiertes und Unternehmen ist, bei dem Menschen und Innovationen im Mittelpunkt stehen, genau wie bei Juniper. Gemeinsam sind wir bestrebt, Lösungen für die wichtigsten Herausforderungen unserer Branche anzubieten, um das Leben, die Arbeit und die Freizeit aller Menschen zu verbessern. Ich bin zuversichtlich, dass die Zusammenführung der überzeugenden Angebote beider Unternehmen den Mehrwert für unsere Kunden steigern wird.

Voraussichtliches Datum der Übernahme ist derzeit Ende 2024 bzw. Anfang 2025. Bis dahin werden wir unsere Geschäfte ganz normal fortführen. Sie können sich darauf verlassen, dass Juniper sich auch weiterhin mit dem gewohnten Engagement für seine Kunden und Partner einsetzen wird.

Vielen Dank für Ihre fortgesetzte Unterstützung und Ihr Vertrauen.

 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are based on Juniper’s current expectations, estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions made by Juniper, all of which are subject to change. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business, financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “may,” “would,” “might,” “potentially,” “estimate,” “continue,” “expect,” “target,” and similar expressions or the negatives of these words or other comparable terminology that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. All forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Juniper’s control, and are not guarantees of future results. These and other forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such statements, and caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (i) the completion of the proposed transaction on anticipated terms and timing or at all, including obtaining stockholder and regulatory approvals and other conditions to the completion of the transaction; (ii) the ability of HPE to integrate and implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to Juniper’s business after the completion of the proposed transaction and realize additional opportunities for growth and innovation; (iii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance or condition that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; (iv) Juniper’s ability to implement its business strategies; (v) potential significant transaction costs associated with the proposed transaction; (vi) the risks related to HPE’s financing of the proposed transaction, (vii) potential litigation or regulatory actions relating to the proposed transaction; (viii) the risk that disruptions from the proposed transaction will harm Juniper’s business, including current plans and operations, and risks related to diverting management’s attention from Juniper’s ongoing business operations and relationships; (ix) the ability of Juniper to retain and hire key personnel; (x) potential adverse business uncertainty resulting from the announcement, pendency or completion of the proposed transaction, including restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction that may impact Juniper’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; (xi) legal, regulatory, tax and economic developments affecting Juniper’s business; (xii) the unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism, outbreak of war or hostilities or current or future pandemics or epidemics, as well as Juniper’s response to any of the aforementioned factors; and (xiii) other risks described in Juniper’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings made by Juniper from time to time with the SEC. These risks should not be considered a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainty, and are discussed more fully, along with other risks associated with the proposed transaction, in the Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Juniper does not assume any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction between Juniper and HPE, Juniper will file with the SEC the Proxy Statement, the definitive version of which will be sent or provided to Juniper stockholders. Juniper may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. This document is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or any other document which Juniper may file with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the Proxy Statement (when it is available) and other documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC by Juniper through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, Juniper’s investor relations website at https://investor.Juniper.net or by contacting the Juniper investor relations department at the following:

Participants in the Solicitation

Juniper and certain of its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding Juniper’s directors and executive officers, including a description of their direct interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in Juniper’s proxy statement for its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 29, 2023. Juniper stockholders may obtain additional information regarding the direct and indirect interests of the participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction, including the interests of Juniper directors and executive officers in the transaction, which may be different than those of Juniper stockholders generally, by reading the Proxy Statement and any other relevant documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC relating to the proposed transaction. You may obtain free copies of these documents using the sources indicated above.

To the extent holdings of Juniper’s securities by its directors or executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in such documents, such changes have been or will be reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the identity of potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the Proxy Statement relating to the proposed transaction when it is filed with the SEC.