News

HP Taps Outsider as CEO

Once again, Hewlett-Packard Co. has turned to an outsider, naming Leo Apotheker as president and CEO and former Oracle President Ray Lane as non-executive chairman.

Both appointments take effect Nov. 1, HP announced late Thursday. Apotheker spent 20 years at SAP and was CEO of the company up until early this year when he was forced to step down amid criticism that the company was too slow in getting its software-as-a service strategy off the ground, as reported.

Lane is managing partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and has served on the boards of more than 20 public and private companies. He joined Kleiner Perkins in 2000.

In a statement released today, HP said Apotheker was "a driving force in making [SAP] the largest business software applications company in the world." At SAP, he bolstered R&D, expanded business models and customer segments, HP said.

"Leo is a strategic thinker with a passion for technology, wide-reaching global experience and proven operational discipline -- exactly what we were looking for in a CEO," said Robert Ryan, lead independent director of HP's Board. "After more than two decades in the industry, he has a strong track record of driving technological innovation, building customer relationships and developing world-class teams."

Once again, HP has spurned key insiders in favor of an outsider to run the company. The executives replace Mark Hurd, who stepped down early last month amid allegations of an improper relationship and use of company funds.

Among those who were contenders for the top spot were Todd Bradley, who runs the company's client systems business, and Ann Livermore, who runs its large services organization. Livermore has now been passed over for the top slot three times.

About the Author

Jeffrey Schwartz is editor of Redmond magazine and also covers cloud computing for Virtualization Review's Cloud Report. In addition, he writes the Channeling the Cloud column for Redmond Channel Partner. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreySchwartz.

Featured

  • An image of planes flying around a globe

    2025 Microsoft Conference Calendar: For Partners, IT Pros and Developers

    Here's your guide to all the IT training sessions, partner meet-ups and annual Microsoft conferences you won't want to miss.

  • Microsoft to Shut Down Skype Services

    Microsoft will discontinue its Skype telecommunications and video calling services on May 5, 2025, marking the end of the platform's decades-long run.

  • Big Blue To Acquire Datastax in Enterprise AI Play

    In a bid to bolster its enterprise-aimed AI capabilities, IBM is planning to acquire Datastax, a leading AI and data solutions provider, for an undisclosed amount.

  • Microsoft Confirms End of HoloLens Mixed Reality Hardware

    Microsoft officially announced this week that it is discontinuing its HoloLens mixed reality hardware, marking the end of its efforts in the space.

Most   Popular