US technology giant Hewlett Packard last night named Mark Hurd as its new chief executive officer, seven weeks after forcing out Carly Fiorina.
Hurd, 48, has served since March 2003 as president and chief executive officer of NCR, a software and computer services firm.
Hurd will head up one of the largest US technology groups which has lagged Dell in the market for personal computers and IBM in the overall computer and services segment.
Although Hurd was little known to the general public, HP board members said they were impressed with his credentials.
Hurd will take up his new duties on April 1 as CEO and president and will join HP's board. He succeeds Robert Wayman, a 36-year company veteran who has been chief financial officer since 1984 and was named interim chief executive officer in February. Wayman will remain CFO and continue to serve as a member of HP's board.
Fiorina, the only woman to head one of the Dow Jones's 30 blue-chip companies, was ousted on February 9 over major differences with the company's board.
