A Forecast Fulfilled: HP’s Leadership Continues to Spiral
As accurately predicted in last year’s blog post (H-P CEO Follies: Let the Games Begin), Hewlett-Packard (HP) remains entrenched in executive instability. The latest development? The company is now on track to replace its third CEO in just six years—another chapter in a long saga of missteps and governance failures.
Interim Leadership Likely—But Does It Matter?
While no official announcement has confirmed the next step, all signs point to the appointment of an interim CEO or a board member stepping into an acting leadership role. The bigger question isn’t who will be named next—but whether it even matters.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth few are willing to confront: until HP’s board can resolve its own internal dysfunction, no CEO—permanent or interim—stands a real chance at long-term success. This is a textbook “chicken and egg” dilemma. Leadership at the top can’t stabilize until the foundation beneath it—the board—gets its act together.
The CEO Role: More Prestige Than Performance?
In the midst of this leadership shuffle, it’s worth noting the disconnect between performance and reward at the executive level. Outgoing CEO Leo Apotheker, much like his predecessors, departs amidst public scrutiny and perceived failure. Yet he exits with a staggering $35 million severance package.
This highlights a harsh reality of corporate leadership: at the top, jobs are often less about sustained performance and more about prestige and payoff. It’s a different world altogether—one where failure still comes with a golden parachute.
The Real Fix: Governance Reform Over Executive Swaps
Until HP takes meaningful steps to reform its board structure and corporate governance, any new CEO appointment—interim or permanent—will simply be a temporary patch on a deeper problem. Real transformation requires more than a new face at the top. It demands accountability, transparency, and a return to the values that once defined the company.