HPE CEO Confident in Juniper Acquisition

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) CEO Antonio Neri remains optimistic about the company’s $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, despite a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ argues that merging the second- and third-largest wireless local area network (WLAN) providers would stifle competition and raise prices. However, Neri believes the DOJ's reasoning is flawed, emphasizing that 13 out of 15 global regulators quickly approved the deal, with only the U.S. and Israel opposing it.

Neri insists the merger is not solely about Wi-Fi but rather about creating a strong alternative to Huawei in markets outside the U.S. He argues that combining HPE’s strengths in servers, storage, and networking with Juniper’s routing and security solutions would establish a full-stack competitor capable of taking on Huawei. Neri has already provided 1.7 million documents supporting HPE’s case and remains confident heading into the July 9 trial.

Despite legal hurdles, Neri is open to remediation discussions but firmly rejects the idea of divesting Juniper’s Mist-branded Wi-Fi assets, stating that separating software from an integrated platform would be impractical. While some speculate Cisco may have lobbied against the deal, Neri says there is no concrete evidence of such interference.

Beyond WLAN, HPE is also expanding its role in open radio access networks (RAN) by partnering with Samsung and Intel to provide server platforms for virtualized RAN solutions. This strategy aligns with HPE’s broader vision of AI-driven network transformation.

While the merger remains in limbo, Neri assures that both HPE and Juniper continue to perform well independently. Once approved, the deal is expected to bring significant market advantages and shareholder benefits.