Article: HP to acknowledge "corrupt" activities in Poland

Article sources: http://seekingalpha.com/news/1666223-h-p-to-admit-corruption-in-poland-interior-minister
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/09/poland-hp-idUSW8N0MG01L20140409


Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) is set to acknowledge today that it has engaged in "corrupt activities in Poland," the country's interior minister has said.

Poland interior minister, Barlomiej Sienkiewicz said, "I confirm that it's goin to happen today. It's a breakthrough moment in Poland when a great international company acknowledges its corrupt activities in Poland".

The interior minister also stated that Poland's Central Anti-Corruption Bureau has cooperated with the FBI and SEC on the issue, but did not state whether HP would be prosecuted.

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UPDATE:  Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/09/us-poland-hp-idUSBREA380EZ20140409

Polish prosecutors alleged on Wednesday that a local executive with U.S. firm Hewlett-Packard Co. paid bribes worth over $500,000 in exchange for help winning contracts to supply computer equipment to the Polish police headquarters.

Meg Whitman: Another Flip Flop Exposed

On April 1st, Vocativ released an article focusing on Meg Whitman. The article is called "Meg Whitman: The Other Tech CEO That Wanted to Ban Gay Marriage".

Another example of "quintessential Meg." Whether it's business goals or social issues, Meg Whitman is consistent in one regard: She makes statements that will further her goal on any given day, but changes course when it suits her. She supports banning gay marriage when she wants to get the conservative Republican vote but back tracks when she is running a company in Silicon Valley.

HP's Board: Disregard for Shareholders

On Autonomy - "Yeah, I think the synergies are great, and I think it makes a lot of sense. It will make a lot of sense to customers if HP engages them in a dialogue of managing unstructured data." - AllThingsD Interview

Let's talk about the HP Board - and in particular, Ray Lane.

In 2013, 41% of shareholders voted against Lane's re-election as Chairman, yet he remained on the Board of Directors.

Ray Lane directly oversaw the Autonomy acquisition, a well-documented disaster. He stepped down as chairman when shareholders voiced their appropriate concerns.

Mr. Lane was involved in a lengthy, and finally settled $100M tax dispute with the IRS.

How is it possible that it is in HP's best interest to maintain him as a Board member? And another bit of food for thought: What does his role in Meg Whitman's run for Governor have to do with it?

The Autonomy acquisition was not accretive for shareholders and continues to create significant legal challenges for the company and its executives in its wake. This is costing HP time and money that should be spent on innovation and developing a winning plan for improving market share and shareholder trust.

For shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, and the future of HP - something must be done about improving the caliber and presentation of HP's Board. Remove the personal politics and focus on the company's success.