HP CEO Mark Hurd resigns over sexual harassment charges

LONDON - Mark Hurd has resigned as President and CEO of computer giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) after a probe into sexual harassment charges slapped against him by one of the former contractors of the company, found him guilty.

“Chief executive officer and president Mark Hurd has decided with the board of directors to resign his positions effective immediately,” the BBC quoted the company, as saying.

In a statement, Hurd said that he has realised there were instances in which he did not live up to the standards and principles of trust, respect and integrity towards HP.

“This is a painful decision for me to make after five years at HP, but I believe it would be difficult for me to continue as an effective leader at HP and I believe this is the only decision the board and I could make at this time,” he added.

HP has named chief financial officer Cathie Lesjak, who has been at HP for 24 years, as its interim CEO.

Hurd has served the company for a good five years term. His strategy of drastically cutting costs, and thousands of jobs, allowed HP to overtake Dell as the biggest manufacturer of PCs in the world in 2006. (ANI)