Can I thank our many readers for their feedback on the HP/Autonomy story. I was particularly touched by the huge ‘mailbag’ supporting my HP,Autonomy – The day after the day after. Although I am in no position to comment on Mike Lynch’s ‘guilt’ or ‘innocence’, he’s been a good friend to me, the causes that I support and, indeed, UK tech in general. I ended with “A friend should not just be for the good times”.
One reader said “I don't normally send unsolicited emails. However, I just wanted to say how I respect and admire your stance and consistency in standing by Mike Lynch. I don't have any idea how this will pan out or what the facts are but your willingness to stand up and say what you believe seems very rare among analysts these days.”
Another wrote“I am a subscriber to your service who has neither insight into the above matter nor any propensity to write unsolicited testimonials.
Your analysis is typically insightful and considered but, in my opinion, the sensibility behind this and the willingness to take and articulate a point of view, based openly on subjective “soft” opinion is what lifts and distinguishes your service’s voice from other analyst groups.
I don’t know the rights and wrongs of the Autonomy case, but in amongst so much anodyne and manufactured media noise I was heartened by your comments and your willingness to make them. It would be a better IT industry, and a better world, if this was the norm rather than a rare, but very welcomed, exception.”
Conversely another top CEO called to say how surprised he was at my bravery in so openly supporting Lynch. “What will happen to your reputation if he is guilty?”
The next bit of the story will revolve around the findings of the PwC report commissioned by HP. We hope HP will make it public. As Dominic O’Connell (Business Editor of the Sunday Times) said in his column “It’s important that the truth comes out. If Whitman is right, she will topple a pillar of the British technology scene. If she is wrong, she is out of a job”.