Motorola Close To Hiring Cellphone Chief; HP Executive Named As Possible Candidate

Motorola (NYSE: MOT) is nearing a choice for a head of its soon-to-be independent cellphone unit, Fortune magazine reported yesterday, but today the WSJ reported who the potential candidate is — Hewlett-Packard’s executive Todd Bradley, according to people familiar with the matter. There are apparently two front runners emerging for the position, with negotiations with Bradley “at a sensitive stage,” so they could fall apart. When reached by phone, Bradley told the WSJ that he wasn’t planning to leave HP. “I’m happy where I am, and I’m not planning to make any changes,” he said. In his career, Bradley headed up palmOne, when the company was known for its Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pilot, and separated its hardware unit from its software unit. He was credited with reviving the company through a series of cost cuts and the decision to move into smartphones. The other person is a telecom executive, however, the identity of the person is unknown. Motorola declined to comment.