TLDR
- HPE is suing Mike Lynch’s family for £3bn in a fraud lawsuit
- Mike Lynch and his daughter died in a yacht accident, leaving his widow and another daughter
Article Summary
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is facing backlash and accusations of lacking humanity after confirming plans to continue a £3bn fraud lawsuit against the estate of tech tycoon Mike Lynch. Despite Lynch’s tragic death in a yacht accident, HPE’s chief executive Antonio Neri stated that the company had a duty to pursue damages. Lynch’s friend Patrick Jacob criticized HPE’s actions, calling them heartless and vulturistic for targeting Lynch’s family right after the tragedy.
The lawsuit stems from the £7bn sale of Lynch’s software company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard in 2011. While Lynch was cleared of US criminal charges, HPE won a civil lawsuit in 2022 and is now seeking substantial damages. Poppy Gustafsson, Darktrace’s CEO and a former colleague of Lynch, announced her resignation as the company prepares for a sale.
Darktrace, a technology company co-founded by Lynch, is set to go private in a £4.3bn deal after being on the London Stock Exchange for three years. Despite facing legal battles and personal tragedies, the business landscape continues to evolve for those associated with Mike Lynch.