Ellison: sacking Hurd "as idiotic as Apple firing Jobs"
By Barry Collins
Posted on 10 Aug 2010 at 09:17
Oracle boss Larry Ellison claims HP was wrong to oust its CEO Mark Hurd over an expenses scandal.
Hurd resigned last Friday after the company discovered discrepancies in the CEO's expenses claims. Hurd was being investigated over claims of sexual harassment made by former HP contractor and actress Jodie Fisher.
The HP board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs
In an email sent to the New York Times, Ellison claims HP has over-reacted. "The HP board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago," Ellison wrote. "That decision nearly destroyed Apple and would have if Steve hadn’t come back and saved them."
Ellison, who is reported to be a close personal friend of Hurd's, added: "In losing Mark Hurd, the HP board failed to act in the best interest of HP's employees, shareholders, customers and partners.
"The HP board admits that it fully investigated the sexual harassment claims against Mark and found them to be utterly false."
HP said Hurd's expenses included payments to Fisher for no legitimate business. Both Fisher and Hurd have denied they were having an affair.
From around the web
HP stock dropped 8% -nearly $10Bn
The company stock valuation dropped by nearly $10Bn vs the $20k of dubious expenses associated with the affair (sic). Hurd is credited with turning HP round. It's all a little silly.
By milliganp on 10 Aug 2010 
12 Bore
On the news, the finger twitched instinctively, involuntarily. The skin pressed harder on the metal and the mechanism operated exactly as advertised. Hot gasses and lead raced down the barrel, then ripped through the polished brown leather, then the 100% cotton. Next, the discharge began its grisly journey through the skin, then flesh, then bone, more flesh, skin. After making its way through the leather, it ricochets off the supporting concrete, spraying the hideous mixture of what once carried a man and what had only cost a few pennies, hours earlier, into the air. There was a brief pause, before the screaming started.
By Klobba on 12 Aug 2010
Surprised
What I'm more surprised about is why he even ALLEGEDLY filed false expenses for a measly $20k. He probably earns AT LEAST that every week. Surely he's not that hard up? And what's even more surprising, is the severance HP are paying him, even though it was Hurd's fault, ALLEGEDLY. They should have just fined him 1 month's pay, or refuse to pay his bonus. That would have had at least a slight sting. In this case, crime does pay, and pretty nicely too.
By rjd83 on 12 Aug 2010
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