Oracle eyes disgraced former HP CEO

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd, who resigned from the company last month in the wake of a sexual harassment investigation, is in talks about a position with Oracle, according to published reports.

Hurd could join Oracle in an executive role, though he is not expected to replace the software maker's CEO, Larry Ellison, according to reports Sunday on the Wall Street Journal and New York Times websites. Both attributed the information to unnamed people familiar with the matter.

A spokeswoman at Oracle didn't immediately return a phone message and e-mail seeking comment late Sunday.

Hurd stepped down from HP in early August after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment discovered that he allegedly falsified expense reports.

HP, however, determined that Hurd didn't violate the company's sexual harassment policies in his interactions with Jodie Fisher. Hurd has denied making any advances on Fisher, who worked as a marketing contractor for HP from 2007 to 2009. She said her work with the company dried up because she rebuffed Hurd's advances.

Hurd and Oracle are close to an agreement over Hurd's employment, but no deal had been reached, according to the reports.

- Reuters