Two heads better than one

9 August 2010 By Robert Cyran Follow @rob_cyran

Losing Chairman and CEO Mark Hurd to sexual harassment and expense fiddling charges will hurt, after all the good he did for the tech company. Finding a replacement with both operational and strategic expertise won’t be easy. HP should use the moment to split the two roles.

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Mark Hurd, HewlettPackard's chairman and chief executive officer, resigned on Aug. 6. An investigation by the company's board of directors into a sexual harassment claim by an outside consultant allegedly revealed falsified expense claims by Hurd.

The board appointed Chief Financial OfficerCathie Lesjak, as his interim replacement. A search committee has been named to find a successor. Lesjak has said she does not wish to be considered.

In 2005, Hurd replaced Carly Fiorinaas CEO. In 2006, Patricia Dunn, HP's chairman, resigned after it emerged contractors hired by the company used stolen Social Security numbers, pretexting and other questionable methods to spy on HP directors, employees and journalists. Hurd said he played a limited role in the probe, including attendance in a July 2005 discussion on the subject.

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