Technology giants battle for Mark Hurd as HP sues Oracle

Silicon Valley giants Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Oracle are gearing up to battle for Mark Hurd; HP filed a suit just a day after its ex CEO joined rival Oracle as co president. (See: Former HP CEO Mark Hurd joins Oracle as co president)

HP's lawsuit has has evoked sharp criticism from Oracle's belligerent co founder and CEO, Lawrence Ellison.

A day after Hurd accepted the world's second-biggest software maker's offer as co president, HP filed a suit to block him taking the post claiming that he would break a confidentiality agreement by working for Oracle.

According to the suit filed yesterday in the Santa Clara County Superior Court in California, HP alleges that it would be impossible for Hurd not to disclose HP's trade secrets and confidential information in the course of his work with Oracle.

On 6 August Hurd was forced to resign as CEO of HP, the world's largest PC maker, following a sexual harassment charge bought on by a former HP contractor. (See: Cathie Lesjak is HP's interim CEO as Hurd bows out)

The outspoken Ellison, who is also Hurd's tennis partner, had come down heavily on HP for forcing Hurd to quit and is reported to have sent an email to HP's board telling them that their action was "the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago."