HP Chairwoman called to quit

Hewlett-Packard Chairwoman Patricia Dunn was called to step down by the company’s former board member and Silicon Valley venture capitalist, Tom Perkins who quit the board in May to protest a board investigation. The chairwoman battled to keep her job and tried to defuse the uproar over a company-ordered investigation.

To find out how sensitive information made its way from board meetings to the media HP revealed it had investigated its own board members, as well as reporters.

In an interview, Dunn described the tactics as "absolutely appalling" and "embarrassing" while defending the need to pursue the investigation to plug a leak on HP's board. "I serve at the pleasure of the board," Dunn said. "I totally trust their judgment. If they think it would be better for me to step aside, I would do that."

Dunn said that she was unaware that the private investigators hired by the computer maker had used questionable tactics to access private phone records of board directors and journalists.

The Chairwoman said, “Tom knew more about the investigation than probably any other director'' and he advocated more aggressive measures such as using lie detectors on board members. Perkins defended himself through a spokesman by saying “that was absolutely not true.”

"I acted not from any ill will toward Ms. Dunn but to protect the best interests of HP," said Perkins in a statement. "I think the past months and days have shown that those interests are best served if Ms. Dunn would resign from the board."

An emergency meeting will now be held by the board to discuss the concerns about the company's investigation as well as Dunn's job status. Whether or not Dunn should resign would be decided by the board members through votes.