Another CEO, another fall from grace. This time it’s Mark Hurd—by all accounts a high-performing, results-driven executive—brought down not by poor performance, but by character flaws. And now, true to form, the headlines buzz with speculation: Who will be H-P’s next long-term CEO?
The company, following the standard crisis playbook, announced it would conduct a wide-reaching search “both externally and internally,” as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Cue the scramble. Cue the shootout among top-tier executive search firms. Cue the echo—because we’ve heard this story before.
But let’s pause and cut through the noise to address some uncomfortable truths.
Truth #1: H-P Can’t Replace Mark Hurd Overnight
Like it or not, no one inside or outside the company currently matches Hurd’s understanding of H-P’s unique culture, talent, strategy, and operations. Not the interim CFO. Not the board chair. Not anyone the media has floated so far.
Ironically, Hurd was known for developing great talent—at least according to those close to the company. But now, it appears that strength has left the building. What’s left is a company with a once-proud culture—the H-P Way—under siege by a board that seems perpetually caught off guard.
Truth #2: No Succession Plan = Prolonged Crisis
The real scandal here isn’t the tabloid drama. It’s the total absence of a clear, public succession plan.
After high-profile turmoil with former CEO Carly Fiorina and board chair Patricia Dunn, you’d think this board would’ve learned the value of forward-thinking leadership. Apparently not.
The question we should be asking is this:
What did Hurd and the board do to prepare for the possibility that the CEO might have to step down?
Succession planning is not a “nice-to-have.” It’s a CEO’s most fundamental responsibility—to lead and to ensure someone is ready to take the reins when needed.
Truth #3: Reputation Isn’t the Only Thing at Stake
According to The New York Times, H-P’s board hired public affairs powerhouse APCO Worldwide to assess how the allegations (which amounted to “sexual harassment without the sex”) might impact H-P’s reputation. But here’s what they didn’t measure:
What’s the cost of not having a succession plan in place?
Friday’s 10% stock price drop should answer that question—no focus group required.
Contrast with McDonald’s: A Case in Succession Done Right
Need a model? Look at McDonald’s. The fast-food giant survived the sudden loss of not one, but two CEOs, and still managed a seamless transition to James Skinner. That didn’t happen by accident—it happened because they had a strategy.
Granted, even McDonald’s has had recent hiccups with key talent departures. But the foundational principle holds: They planned ahead. H-P clearly did not.
They’re not alone—roughly a third of major companies don’t have formal succession plans. But after the chaos of the past week, H-P’s board is surely wishing they weren’t part of that statistic.
Final thought:
Strong companies are built not just on performance, but on preparedness. H-P needs more than a new CEO—it needs a board that knows how to think long-term.