Cisco’s Chambers Roots For H-P While Competing Against It - Digits - WSJ

Interesting that people such as John Chambers and Larry Ellison express respect for what HP used to be…

Still, Chambers says, it’s important for Silicon Valley that H-P does well, and he laments the leadership changes that include CEO Mark Hurd’s surprise resignation on Friday. “It’s been 10 years of turmoil,” he says. “I want to see them do well–I just don’t want them to do well against us.”

As for whether Cisco might lose any top talent as H-P hunts for new leadership, Chambers scoffs. Though there are no employment contracts with non-compete provisions handcuffing Cisco managers, he says, such a move would be against unwritten rules.

“We don’t go to competitors at the top,” Chambers says. “We all are family; we don’t hurt our family.”

Cisco’s Chambers Roots For H-P While Competing Against It - Digits - WSJ