HP executive VP is latest to ‘pursue other opportunities’

Hewlett-Packard Co. has announced that Michael Holston, executive vice president and general counsel, will leave the company to pursue other opportunities.

Holston served as executive vice president and general counsel since February 2007.

Prior to that, he was a partner in the litigation practice at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, where, he supported the company as external counsel for more than 10 years on a variety of litigation and regulatory matters, the company said in a Dec. 12 announcement.

He is a former assistant U.S. Attorney, serving as a prosecutor in the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

“Mike has been an exceptional leader at HP and a great contributor to the company’s mission,” said Meg Whitman, HP president and chief executive officer, in the announcement. “The entire company wishes him well in his future endeavors.”

“The departure is the latest in a string of changes in the technology giant's head office following the September firing of Leo Apotheker after a brief and turbulent tenure as chief executive,” the Dow Jones Newswire reported.

In October, HP announced that it had no plans to fill the chief strategy and technology officer position upon the retirement of executive Shane Robison, who had spent 11 years at the company, the newswire added.

David Healy, partner and co-chair of the mergers and acquisition Group at Fenwick & West LLP, will act as HP’s general counsel on an interim basis.

HP said a formal search is underway for Holston’s replacement. Candidates from both inside and outside the company will be considered.

Hewlett-Packard Co., of Palo Alto, Calif., ranks No. 7 on Washington Technology’s 2011 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.