Bethany Mayer, Hewlett-Packard’s head of Networking, is taking a new role as the company’s SVP/GM of Network Functions Virtualization, as part of its new cloud initiative.

A leaked memo announcing Mayer’s new role stated that, “NFV will be a company-wide initiative requiring Bethany’s ability to partner with EG, ES and HP Cloud to deliver an integrated NFV solution. In addition, the NFV business requires a leader with start-up experience, strategic orientation, and knowledge of the networking space – making Bethany the ideal leader for this important opportunity.”

SiliconANGLE CEO and founder John Furrier describes Mayer as a #techathlete who will help HP in its effort to make cloud an industry standard. Leadership will be important for HP as it rewrites its business model around services, the cloud remaining an integral component of the modern data center and today’s enterprise needs.

Mayer’s promotion speaks to HP CEO Meg Whitman’s larger plan to get the company back on track, and she is one of several senior executives now being charged with HP’s revived cloud group. Furrier considers this a flushing out of old leadership and old ways of thinking, bringing fresh perspectives to HP’s cloud group, a significant market opportunity for the struggling company.

“HP is putting lots of bets on the cloud and this move highlights that.  In addition it seems the old enterprise DNA is being flushed with a new focus on keeping their mature markets from falling in share.  The growth opportunity is in new markets – cloud and mobile. The consumerization of IT, or as HP calls it the New Style of IT.  We have been seeing replacement of all the top execs coming after Dave Donatelli left the role running the enterprise group.”

Mayer is an alumnae of theCUBE and if you want to get to know her better or find out more about her role in HP, check out her interviews at SiliconANGLE.tv. We’ve created a special playlist of Mayer highlights, which you can watch below.