Léo Apotheker has been named by HP's board of directors as the company's new Chief Executive Officer and President from 1st November 2010. Ray Lane, Managing Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (and former Oracle COO), was chosen as non-executive Chairman.
Mr Apotheker was previously at SAP for more than 20 years at SAP, most recently as CEO.
Robert Ryan, lead independent director of HP's board, said "Léo is a strategic thinker with a passion for technology, wide-reaching global experience and proven operational discipline – exactly what we were looking for in a CEO. After more than two decades in the industry, he has a strong track record of driving technological innovation, building customer relationships and developing world-class teams. Léo has been a leader in anticipating the transformation taking place in our industry, and we believe he is uniquely positioned to help accelerate HP’s strategy. He has demonstrated success in the US market and also has vast international experience – which will be a major asset as HP continues to expand globally, particularly in high-growth emerging markets. HP has the right assets and market positions, and now we have the best team to realize the company’s enormous potential."
Cathie Lesjak, who was named interim CEO in August 2010 in addition to her role as HP’s Chief Financial Officer, is returning to her original position. She became interim CEO when Mark Hurd left the company.