HP's Dunn steps down from board

Patricia Dunn has resigned today 'at the request of the board'

Patricia Dunn, the outgoing chairman of HP at the heart of the recent spying scandal, has resigned from her position as director and chairman of the board, effective immediately. 

"I have resigned today at the request of the board," Dunn said in a statement, which laid the roots of the scandal firmly at the door of the investigating company.

"The unauthorised disclosure of confidential information was a serious violation of our code of conduct.

"I followed the proper processes by seeking the assistance of HP security personnel. I did not select the people who conducted the investigation, which was undertaken after consultation with board members.

"I accepted the responsibility to identify the sources of those leaks, but I did not propose the specific methods of the investigation."

Chief executive Mark Hurd will take over as chairman once again. "Patricia Dunn's agreement to step down from the board to ensure that her presence does not serve as a distraction is a testament to her deep commitment to HP's success and her ability to put the interests of HP before her personal interests," he said.

"She has contributed greatly to our company during a period of unprecedented growth and development. We intend to continue our investigation until we determine the root causes of the failure. We will introduce process changes to correct the situation."