Despite HP having received former chief executive Mark Hurd's
resignation over claims of financial impropriety and possible sexual harassment, it seems that the company isn't done with him yet: HP is now suing Mark Hurd for having found another job.
According to
Business Insider, Hurd has declined to quietly retire and has instead found another job at long-time HP rival Oracle as co-president and member of the board of directors. HP isn't exactly happy - and is proceeding a civil complaint which alleges that the ex-CEO has violated the severance agreement that saw HP give Hurd a golden parachute in the millions of dollars.
The suit claims that "
by working at Oracle, [Hurd] cannot help but utilise and disclose HP's trade secrets and confidential information." In a further announcement, HP claims that "
Mark Hurd agreed to and signed agreements designed to protect HP's trade secrets and confidential information. HP intends to enforce those agreements."
The company has posted a full copy of the filing on document sharing site
Scribd, and it's interesting to see the angle being taken: rather than the risky approach of arguing a "no-compete" clause, which would represent an undertaking not to work for a direct competitor for a number of years after leaving the company and is rarely enforceable in law, HP is claiming potential violation of trade secrets.
Although Oracle's stock rose by 5 per cent on the news of Hurd's hiring, the alleged philanderer and plunderer could prove to be something of a poison pill should the lawsuit decide in HP's favour.
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