However, it was forced to abandon the strategy in the face of shareholder unrest. Shares in HP plummeted 20pc the day after the news of the Autonomy deal and its announcement that it may give up making computers.
Mr Apotheker was ousted and replaced by Meg Whitman shortly afterwards.
At first, Ms Whitman backed Mr Lynch and the Autonomy deal, telling investors it was her "priority one, two and three". Mr Lynch told peers that HP had vowed to allow Autonomy to remain "high-speed, smaller and more agile". However, he now says that Autonomy's independent spirit was compromised by HP.
A fifth of Autonomy's 1,800 staff have left the company since its sale to the US computer giant, including around a quarter of its senior managers. Insiders claim that HP was stiflingly bureaucratic. One source cited a conference call to discuss a new product that had 53 people dialling in.
Mr Lynch was sanguine about the experience. "I have a great deal of respect for Whitman, and for her senior management team. I have learnt a lot," he said.
"HP is one of America's great technology companies. She and the team have a big turnaround job to do, and I wish her and HP the best."
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