Larry Ellison slams HP board over Hurd dismissal

Larry Ellison has criticised the HP board for irresponsible leadership

Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison has launched a blistering attack on the HP board for forcing the resignation of chief executive Mark Hurd.

Ellison said in an email to The New York Times that the decision is a grave mistake, and is not in the interests of the company or its customers and shareholders.

"The HP board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago," he said. "That decision nearly destroyed Apple, and would have if Steve hadn't come back and saved them."

Ellison, who is a friend of Hurd's, said that, after the HP board found that there had been no harassment, it was advised by a public relations consultant to go public on the news.

Hurd disagreed and the board voted 6-4 to disclose the investigation, at which point resignation became part of the package.

"In losing Mark Hurd, the HP board failed to act in the best interests of HP's employees, shareholders, customers and partners," said Ellison.

"The HP board admits that it fully investigated the sexual harassment claims against Mark and found them to be utterly false."

The original complaint against Hurd was made by Jodie Fisher, a part-time actress, who was working as a marketing consultant for HP at the time.

"I was surprised and saddened that Mark Hurd lost his job over this. That was never my intention," she said in a statement.