>>>>>Hewlett-Packard's CFO Feels `Violated'
by: iamlongcpq 04/11/02 03:50 pm
Msg: 280455 of 280456
Hewlett-Packard's CFO Feels `Violated' By Voice Mail Disclosure
By Peter J. Brennan
Palo Alto, California, April 11 (Bloomberg) -- Hewlett-Packard Co. Chief Financial Officer Bob Wayman said the disclosure of a voice mail left for him by Chief Executive Carly Fiorina was illegal and the company is investigating how it happened.
``Not only do I feel personally violated, but it is illegal and damaging to the company and your fellow employees,'' he wrote in an e-mail message sent to Hewlett-Packard employees and released by the company to news organizations.
Fiorina had left a message on March 17 for Wayman saying the company had to ``do something extraordinary'' to convince two large shareholders to vote for the $19.4 billion acquisition of Compaq Computer Corp. Fiorina's comment was reported by the San Jose Mercury News. Wayman said the message was ``leaked'' to the newspaper.
Hewlett-Packard has said a slim majority of shareholders voted in favor of the deal. Walter Hewlett, a director and son of co-founder William Hewlett, has sued the computer maker, claiming executives illegally traded banking business for votes from big shareholders at the last minute.
An official count of the vote, which ended March 19, probably won't be available for two weeks.
Allegations that the company coerced and intimidated shareholders are ``insulting and infuriating,'' Wayman said. The company is investigating the leak and similar events, he said, without identifying the other incidents.
Shares of Hewlett-Packard rose 22 cents to $17.94 in late trading. The shares have fallen 23 percent since Sept. 3, when Hewlett-Packard said it would buy Compaq.<<<<< |
