HP Hires New Ethics Chief

Hewlett-Packard has appointed a new chief ethics and compliance officer in the wake of the controversy surrounding its investigation into news leaks over the past two years.

Jon Hoak, former senior vice president and general counsel for NCR, is replacing Kevin Hunsaker, one of five people charged in California last week with four felonies in connection with the internal probe.

Hunsaker and Patricia Dunn, former chairman of HP’s board of directors, were charged with such felonies as identity theft and conspiracy. Also charged were three outside investigators hired by HP to investigate the news leaks. The charges stem from the practices used by the investigators, including gaining the telephone records of directors and several reporters under false pretenses.

Hunsaker, Hurd and two other HP officials, including general counsel Ann Baskins, resigned in September after the internal investigation become public. Also resigning from the board were George Keyworth and Tom Perkins. Keyworth was identified as the source of leaked information to the media in both 2005 and earlier this year.

Hoak, whose appointment was announced Oct. 12, spent 1993 to May 2006 with NCR, the company HP Chairman, President and CEO Mark Hurd ran before coming to HP in 2005 to replace Carly Fiorina. Before that, Hoak was an attorney with AT&T.

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