HP board meets today to decide chairman's fate

Dunn-snooping

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Financial News, 11th September 2006 09:28 GMT

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The HP board of directors is meeting again later today to decide the fate of chairman Patricia Dunn.

Dunn is in the firing line after apparently approving investigations into HP board directors' and another investigation into nine reporters, following concerns about information leaking from board meetings. The gumshoes apparently took on a second investigation firm which impersonated different people in order to get hold of their phone records.

The board met yesterday, Sunday, but no decision was reached.

One board member, Tom Perkins, has already resigned in protest at Dunn's actions. Perkins is now calling for Dunn to leave HP.

HP CEO Mark Hurd sent an email to staff on Friday. It said in part: "I know that many of you have read the media coverage and speculation regarding the recent actions of the HP Board.My belief is that this has nothing to do with the strategy or operations of Hewlett-Packard. Unfortunately there has been a long history of leaking company information within the HP board that clearly needs to be resolved, and it will be resolved.

"The HP Standards of Business Conduct are our foundation of ethical leadership, and encompass the basic principles that govern our ethical and legal obligations to HP.

"The leaking of company confidential information violates our Standards of Business conduct which applies to all employees and Board members.

"Clearly things have happened here that are unacceptable."

HP is also facing a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into how it informed the markets about Perkins' resignation.

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