marketwatch.com Animosity between Silicon Valley heavyweights Meg Whitman and Frank Quattrone is on stark display in recently released court papers that provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at the cutthroat world of technology takeovers.
Simmering tension between Whitman, now the chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. HPE, -2.78% , and Quattrone, one of Silicon Valley’s top investment bankers, erupted over Hewlett Packard’s purchase of Aruba Networks Inc. last year.
Whitman refused to negotiate with Quattrone’s firm, Qatalyst Partners LP, which was advising Aruba, and insisted another bank be brought in, according to emails a Delaware court made public. The Wall Street Journal previously reported on the dispute, but the emails show how bitter it was.
The emails were unsealed in a shareholder lawsuit over the takeover, following a request from the Journal. An Aruba investor has argued that Whitman’s influence in the selection of Aruba’s advisers created a conflict that resulted in an unfair price. HP and Aruba have said the deal was fair.
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