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Original URL: http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/03/28/hp_ceo_coming/

HP eyes 'younger man' for CEO post - report

Mini-stud could arrive tomorrow

By Ashlee Vance in Chicago (ashlee.vance@theregister.co.uk)

Posted in PC Builder, 28th March 2005 20:19 GMT

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After being Fiorinaless for almost two months, HP might introduce a new CEO as early as Tuesday, according to a report.

BusinessWeek reckons that HP will dangle a fresh body in front of employees, customers, investors and analysts in the near future - maybe even tomorrow. The new top dog will be a "surprise choice, little-known, younger man" who runs a public company. That company was described by a source as a "mini-HP" that sells goods in a number of markets, the magazine said.

Anyone else thinking Michael Dell?

The latest names to appear on HP's supposed short list are NCR's chief Mark Hurd, former HP exec and current Quantum CEO Rick Belluzzo and current HP printer whiz Vyomesh Joshi. U2 lead singer Bono was also rumored [1] to be in contention, according to a source inside the Pope's robe.

The new executive will have a massive money printing and imaging challenge in front of him. HP needs to get its act together in the PC, server, storage and software markets and produce steady profits. It will need to do this while polishing a now tarnished image of the company as a technology repackager and not a R&D powerhouse. Fiorina sadly took the "invent" out of HP.

BusinessWeek's Peter Burrows shared a byline on the CEO story [2] and knows HP very well [3]. ®

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