HP chairman quits

Hewlett-Packard chairman Ray Lane,who has come under fire from shareholders for his role in the acquisition of software company Autonomy,has relinquished his post in the No.1 personal computer makers latest board shake-up.

Two other directors left as HP,which has gone through several board upheavals in the past decade,said director and activist investor Ralph Whitworth will serve as interim chairman until Lanes replacement is found.

The changes come weeks after Lane,a Kleiner Perkins managing partner who will remain an HP director,narrowly won reelection at the companys annual shareholders meeting with less than 60 per cent of voting shares compared with 96 per cent a year ago.