PALO ALTO, Calif. _ Hewlett Packard Enterprise said Tuesday that Meg Whitman will step down as the tech giant's chief executive next February _ after a nearly seven-year-long roller-coaster term that included a controversial splitting up of Hewlett-Packard, once considered to be the original Silicon Valley startup.
Whitman will stay on the job until Feb. 1, when HPE President Antonio Neri will take over as the company's CEO. Neri will also join HPE's board of directors, and Whitman will remain as an HPE director.
In a statement, Whitman said it was the "right time" for Neri and new leadership to run HPE.
"Today, Hewlett Packard moves forward as four industry-leading companies that are each well positioned to win in their respective markets," Whitman said.
Investors weren't enthusiastic about Whitman's planned departure, as HPE shares fell 7.6 percent, to $13.05, in after-hours trading following the announcement.
