Mark Hurd has been chief executive officer and president of HP and a member of the company's board of directors since early 2005. In September 2006, he was named chairman of the board .

With the goal of establishing HP as the world's leading technology company, Hurd has sharpened HP's strategic focus and concentrated its R AND D investments on three long- term growth opportunitie s: next-generation enterprise data center architecture and services; technologies for always connected, always personal mobile experiences; and a broad transition from analog to digital imaging and printing across the consumer, commercial and industrial markets .

At the same time, Hurd has improved HP's operating efficiency and execution as well as its financial performance and customer focus. The result has been increasing growth and profitability, greater value for shareholders and customers, and a stronger competitive position in global IT markets. For the most recent four fiscal quarters, HP revenue totaled $104.3 billion .

Prior to joining HP, Hurd spent 25 years at NCR Corp., where he held a variety of management, operations, and sales and marketing roles that culminated in his two- year tenure as chief executive officer and president. His leadership was marked by successful efforts to improve operations, bolster the position of NCR's product line and build a strong executive team .

Hurd is a member of the Technology CEO Council, a coalition of chairmen and chief executive officers of IT companies, which develops and advocates public policy positions on technology and trade issues .

He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1979 from Baylor University .