The Hurd Chronicles: HP and Oracle settle CEO suit

Legal

Well, we might as well close the loop on this one. Last month, we told you how former HP CEO Mark Hurd was ousted by HP, complimented by Larry Ellison, and then hired by Oracle. We also told you how the Oracle hiring prompted a lawsuit from Mr. Hurd’s former employer. Now, the New York Times is reporting that the two sides have reached an agreement on the embattled executive’s future. In exchange for dropping the lawsuit, Hurd will forfeit nearly half of the $28 million compensation package he was given by HP. The former HP chief, and now Oracle President, will give up 330,177 shares of performance-based restricted stock and 15,853 shares of time-base restricted stock (that’s about $13.34 million using today’s stock price). Oracle and HP, who do quite a bit of business together, did their best to reassure stock holders that the two companies are on the mend. “Oracle and HP will continue to build and expand a partnership that has already lasted for over 25 years,” said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. “HP and Oracle have been important partners for more than 20 years and are committed to working together to provide exceptional products and service to our customers,” said Cathie Lesjak, the CFO and interim CEO of HP. So ends this chapter of the Mark Hurd Chronicles.

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13 Comments
  • bearleton

    The untold part is Hurd was likely made whole with more Oracle shares.

  • StevenHamburg

    phew, the little sissy fit is over

  • MadSkillz

    No surprise at all. They always settle.

  • Jarrett

    So that very important HP IP is not all that important after all?

    • Darnell

      It just proves this whole thing was a steaming pile of bull-crap.

  • John Sanfilippo

    This is bull … He still made out … he should have to forfeit everything … Where the heck is HP’s BOD? They allow this guy to go to the competitor with all there future hardware plans? The only positive that could come out of this is Hurd will dismantle all the R&D spending at Oracle like he did at HP. Good Luck …

    • Darnell

      Don’t you get it? It was never about IP in the first place. This was just the last gasp by HP’s digruntled board, that someone they outsted landed on their feet!

      If it was about IP, even giving all the money back would not protect that. He would have to step down from Oracle, period.

    • Chut Pata

      Yes this is bull, but in business, it is common for one business partner to be BULLied by other. It is like domestic violence, or “Spousal Abuse” where you make concessions to keep the relationship.

  • wekebu

    Damm A-hole stills owes me $2000 for the piece of crap laptop that overheats and kills the mobo. They wouldn’t warranty it because I had upgraded to a Intel chip.

    • Darnell

      You voided the warranty, nobody owes you anything.

    • Chut Pata

      This is how the “Super-CEOs” make money. They go for short term profits that screw the company in long run, then they get fat bonuses based on their short term performances, and then run. He reaped the profits of previous CEO and bloated profits by cutting R&D etc. Now the next CEO will pay for his fat bonus short term profits.

  • Shelton!!

    This is rather awesome… you have a ceo who sexually harrasses a employee and gets 13 million dollars and a new job at the number one computer company… that makes sense… Ill never understand the way ceo’s are rewarded.. your bank posts massive losses, gets bailed out by government here is a bonus???

    Am I the only one here who is confused why I get in trouble for coming in late… yet this guy gets fired and gets 18 million!

    • LouGz

      Don’t hate the player hate the game.

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