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HP Picks NCR Veteran for CEO Post
HP this week announced it has hired Carly Fiorina’s replacement. The new CEO is Mark Hurd, a 25-year NCR executive whose most recent post was as president and CEO of the Ohio-based computermaker.
Prior to serving as NCR's president and CEO, Hurd, 48, spent three years as president and chief operating officer of the company's Teradata division.
Hurd succeeds Fiorina, who joined HP as CEO in 1999, and was named chairwoman a year later. She was forced out by the board in February. While CEO, Fiorina led the company's controversial 2002 merger with Compaq, one of the largest high-tech mergers in history. However, she also raised hackles with HP’s old guard, rubbing many the wrong way with her go-for-the-jugular approach to business.
After Fiorina’s resignation, Robert Wayman, a 36-year Hewlett-Packard veteran and CFO since 1984, served as interim CEO. Wayman, 59, remains as HP’s CFO and continues to serve on the company's board.
Hurd takes over Fiorina’s duties as president and CEO but not the role of chairman of the board. Patricia C. Dunn, a director since 1998, was named non-executive chairwoman upon Fiorina’s departure. Dunn was formerly chairwoman and CEO of Barclays Global Investors.
Many industry watchers are looking to Hurd to execute on HP’s plans to reinvent itself in a post-Fiorina world. Hurd is widely credited with turning around NCR during his tenure as CEO. “He’s 180-degrees from Carly,” says Rob Enderle, principle analyst at Enderle Group in San Jose, California. “He’s a good operations guy and he’s going to be much more tractable [than Fiorina],” Enderle adds.
About the Author
Stuart J. Johnston has covered technology, especially Microsoft, since February 1988 for InfoWorld, Computerworld, Information Week, and PC World, as well as for Enterprise Developer, XML & Web Services, and .NET magazines.