It must be the most hated part of Mark Hurd's new job: two days before he officially starts working as the new CEO for HP, Hurd this morning had his first meeting with financial analysts and the media.

Hurd got off an airplane yesterday (Tuesday) night at 9 PM, and that in fact was his main message: he wasn't going to reveal any big plans just yet.

At a press conference at HP's head quarters in Palo Alto, Heard faced a small army of Silicon Valley IT trade press and a collection of local and national media. I counted about ten television crews, most of which brought their trucks to do on the spot editing.

Hurd has two days before he officially takes over the helm as CEO. He'd better use that time to get settled and spend some of the $2.75 m he received as a relocation allowance (he must have some awfully large chairs that need moving…). And in the mean time he'd better get used to the level of media exposure that he gets. Because this HP company gets a little more interest than his former employer NCR.

Mark Hurd faces the media storm.

Television trucks take over the HP campus.

A press conference doesn't make for good TV, but that didn't stop a small army of crews from showing up.

31 Mar 2005