Hewlett-Packard‘s (NYSE: HPQ) board of directors has appointed former Ebay CEO Meg Whitman as president and CEO, effective immediately.
The appointment follows Léo Apotheker‘s resignation as president, CEO and as a director of the company.
Whitman has served as a member on HP’s board for the past eight months.
Ray Lane has also moved from non-executive chairman to executive chairman of the board of directors. The company said the board intends to appoint a lead independent director shortly.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Meg Whitman’s caliber and experience step up to lead HP, ” said Lane. “We are at a critical moment and we need renewed leadership to successfully implement our strategy and take advantage of the market opportunities ahead.”
“Meg is a technology visionary with a proven track record of execution. She is a strong communicator who is customer focused with deep leadership capabilities. Furthermore, as a member of HP’s board of directors for the past eight months, Meg has a solid understanding of our products and markets.”