Ce-Oh no he didn't!: Larry Ellison likens HP board to 'idiots' at Apple
By Vlad Savov 
posted August 10th 2010 4:45AM
posted August 10th 2010 4:45AM
The communique, also obtained by the Mercury News, included other tasty tidbits such as Ellison describing HP's disclosure of the apparently unfounded sexual harassment claim against Hurd as "cowardly corporate political correctness," and dismissing the financial irregularities that forced the former CEO's resignation as "petty expenses report errors." So, in short, the world according to Larry is populated by messianic CEOs who shouldn't be held up to the same petty standards as the rest of us."The H.P. board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago. That decision nearly destroyed Apple and would have if Steve hadn't come back and saved them."
I can't see the logic in firing the guy. I'm all for punishment, but 1) it should fit the crime and 2) it should be in the best interest of the company.
He makes a very valid point, I don't see the problem. And I don't see why Steve didn't get a Ce-Oh article about "your holding it wrong"
The headline craftily gives the impression that the "idiots" comment was directed at the current Apple regime, which I think a lot of commenters have fallen for.
That would only be true if Steve Jobs was diddling the secretary as well.
Actually this is not so bad. He is actually right. This is not an insult of Apple, its an insult against the dumbasses that nearly caused Apple to collapse.
You might want to correct that typo.
It's "iDiots"!
I love Ellison!!! He's so political incorrect that you feel all warm inside when you hear or read something from him.
@m0rk
the guy says one thing in like 20 years and... you love him... for what.. calling John Scully, the guy who accidentally signed the GUI over to MS, a dumbass... ?
WHAT A GENIUS!!!!
I don't think what he said is that controversial. The hp guy doubled their stock price since he started. There's no question that Jobs saved Apple and continues to be a visionary leader. HP may very well have made a mistake by mixing business with personal. I've always been kinda bummed that decisions in your personal life can affect your business life so much. If I screw up a relationship it sucks that it screws up my financial life. Isn't it enough that I screwed up my relationship?
@MisterK
Problem was he was doinking an HP "contractor".
He was earning millions a year in cash, stocks, and other benefits. That made his time many tens of tghousands of dollars a day (or even hour, depending on how you view how much he was expected to contribute to HPs bottom line).
I would promise, bet, whatever, that his "expense ireregularities" were no more than a few tens of thousands of dollars. Yes, big numbers in absolute terms, but pittance for him and not worth his time to do them in detail nor to review them in detail. The chances are his PA did his expenses and he just signed them off.
Expense irregularities is just the standard excuse to gang up on someone. I have been a corporate internal auditor for 20 years and have seen this so many times.
"cowardly corporate political correctness" - I've been a victim of stuff like that (not involving money) at a large company before, so I agree.
Have to agree with Larry on this one. Hurd has been a miracle worker at HP. This is the second major incident in which the HP Board's judgment and wisdom have really been called in to question. I think the shareholders would be well served if there was a major housecleaning in the board itself.
I agree w/his comments. Apple was dumb for firing Jobs.
I'm glad to see name calling still has a place in business.
There seems to be talk as if axing Hurd was a mistake. I have a relative that works at HP and he says that 95% of the employees are glad to see Hurd gone. Thrilled in fact. Ya he made HP money, but it was at the employees expense. Most of the employees haven't had a bonus or raise in the past three years, and benefits have been cut to bare minimum. I don't know about you, but running a company where the employees are unhappy and only put in minimal effort can only lead to trouble.
@ledzepol
"Most of the employees haven't had a bonus or raise in the past three years, and benefits have been cut to bare minimum"
Woah, their benefits were cut in the middle of the worst recession in like 70 years? No WAY!
Meanwhile, Hurd's delivered value, marketshare, and dividends to shareholders.
Yeah, what a disaster of a CEO.
@Wesscoast
HP is in no recession. They post profits every quarter. Those profits don't come from selling more printers. If things kept going the way they were, innovation would have grinded to a halt because employees don't getting what they deserve for their efforts. HP would have turned out the same old products and ideas. A few more years and that marketshare and those dividends would vanish.
Was he a disaster of a CEO? Depends on who you ask. Not everyone is a shareholders you know.
@ledzepol
HP is in no recession? Dude wake up. Last year the Stock market crashed, that means everyone stings, that means big companies and people hold off on upgrading their computers... if you don't think HP was affected by the recession, you're on crack.
It's not my fault your friends didn't pick up stock when the market crashed it was down to 27 bucks a share, and Hurd drove it up to 54....100% gains, anyone?
But Hurd put everyone in the poorhouse, ... right?
Anyone who believes this shit spewing out of Ellison's Hurd's or the contractor (who SETTLED, Read: was paid off) mouth needs a reality check. This wasn't a "politically correct" or PR move, if it was it was the worst move ever. Their stock dove close to 10% following him stepping down. Shareholders dont give a shit about sexual harassment claims they care about the head of company continuing to do his job.
The real PR move was concealing whatever ACTUALLY happend instead of the spin we got.
I think he's right---I don't know about Hurd, but he's right about Jobs and Apple.
Still, H-P's stock is down, what, 11% in a couple days? Obviously some investors seem to think that the company is going to struggle without Hurd.
@Johnny Tremaine
Wait.. so... now that Apple's the most valuable Tech company, and the 2nd biggest company on the NYSE (25 billion more than MSFT....just under EXXONMob), you're sticking your neck out and declaring that firing Steve Jobs was a bad idea?
Balls of steel......
Having read a story on what he was actually accused of, what they actually had proof of (practically nothing), and the contributions he's made to HP over the last 5yrs...Larry was right. HP made a pretty stupid decision. They're going to regret it in a very financial way if they can't find someone as talented as he is. Doesn't mean I think CEO's should be paid as much as they are, though.
He probably expenses his boats to Oracle at a regular basis.
I wonder what is he hiding. Maybe some unexplained expense to some contractor that does some unexplained consulting.
This is not C-E-Oh no he didn't, Engadget!
You may have to read into this a little bit, and put more than one story of the HP board together. Just look at the last HP scandal!
The last CEO was fired because she tried to investigate some(one) on the board who were idiots. Privacy scandal? Please!
Of course the PR people are going to spin it to make it a PR scandal.
Man-up HP board! just because somebody is trying to do the right thing confronting/investigating a problem doesn't mean it becomes a PR nightmare when it reaches the press! Have the courage to see the right decision through to completion, then let PR deal with the way the right decision looks to the public!
The prudish attitudes about sex and monogamy in this country make me sick. Not that sleeping around with a ton of people is a good thing, but surely there are worse things than an indiscretion here or there. And why does the "public" feel it has a right to judge someone? Most, if not all, of the "public" are certainly far from sainthood. Monogamy isn't the only way and there's a debate on whether it is even a healthy or worthwhile lifestyle choice. Flexibility to decide on whether a couple, even a married couple, should be monogamous is a private matter. If CEO Mark Hurd is a capable executive officer (I don't know whether he is or isn't), his sexual indiscretion would have no bearing on that. It's sad to see anyone forced to bow down to the brainwashing caused by religion.