Shares tumble as Olivetti CEO quits

The future of Olivetti's PC company received a blow last week when chief executive Corrado Passera quit suddenly.

The move sent the firm's share price into a tumble when the stock markets reacted badly to the news.

Passera said he was moving to take advantage of a new career opportunity, but his move to the Milan-based Banco Ambrosiano did nothing to dispel rumours of continuing problems at the ailing PC company.

The continued skeins within Olivetti attached to Carlo De Benedetti, chairman of the company, continued to puzzle observers. Only two weeks ago an Italian court upheld a fraud conviction against De Benedetti for his part in the bankruptcy of the very bank Passera is joining.

De Benedetti will appoint a fresh head to Olivetti's PC division within the month. He said he wants to make the appointment from the telecoms sector, rather than the PC industry.

That sector is in Olivetti's sights after several reorganisations over the past few years, leaving doubts whether its PC arm has much of a future.

At the end of last year, De Benedetti said he would need to show a real turnaround at Olivetti before the end of June.