Lewis E. Platt

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Biographical Information

Lewis E. Platt, (died in 2005) was the chief executive of Hewlett-Packard (1992-99).

In 2005, "Mr. Platt was serving as the lead board member and nonexecutive chairman of Boeing, he quickly began an investigation after receiving an anonymous tip that the chief executive, Harry C. Stonecipher, was having an affair with a company executive...

"In 1999, Hewlett-Packard decided to recruit an outsider as chief executive. Mr. Platt supported the move and helped lead the search for his successor, Carleton S. Fiorina. She came from Lucent...

"At first, Mr. Platt backed Ms. Fiorina as an energetic outsider with fresh ideas. But later, when she championed a controversial merger with Compaq, the personal computer maker, Mr. Platt opposed her and her leadership.

"As an influential board member of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the single largest shareholder of Hewlett-Packard, Mr. Platt was an outspoken critic of the deal, saying it would saddle the company with a large personal computer business, an industry with slender profits and fierce competition.

"The shareholders narrowly approved the Compaq purchase in 2002. The merger failed to produce the anticipated profits, and Ms. Fiorina was ousted from Hewlett-Packard this year [2005]...

"After leaving Hewlett-Packard, Mr. Platt served for two years as the chief executive of a much smaller company, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates...

"Mr. Platt is survived by his wife, Joan Ellen, and his four daughters, Caryn, Laura, Amanda and Hillary."

His wife was Joan Platt.