Motorola Sues Apple Executive

[s18000rpm]

Cellphone maker Motorola has sued former executive Michael Fenger for allegedly violating a non-compete agreement and threatening to reveal its trade secrets by taking a job with Apple iPhone division. Fenger accepted "millions of dollars in cash, restricted stock units, and stock options" in exchange for agreeing not to join a competitor for two years after leaving Motorola, where he oversaw mobile devices in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the lawsuit said. However, contrary to the terms of his agreement, he took the iPhone job on March 31, less than a month after leaving Motorola.

Fenger, who now serves as vice president of global iPhone sales, also hired away two high-level Motorola employees who have access to Motorola's trade secrets and customer relationships, the suit said. Unsurprisingly, an Apple spokeswoman said the company had no comment on the lawsuit, and Fenger could not be reached for comment. Motorola has demanded damages and repayment of stock options given to him in exchange for signing the non-compete agreement.

*www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1846432620080719
*neowin.net/news/main/08/07/20/motorola-sues-apple-executive

 

[sourav123]

These unethical executives should be sued ASAP. Well done Motorola!

I don't think Apple is going to support this executive also.

 

[aryayush]

Employees leave companies to join others all the time. In the recent past, Apple employees have left the company to join RIM, Palm, Sony (I’m not sure) and HP. I don’t see them suing any one of them.

Motorola is just too darn insecure for their own good. Given the state they are in though, I’m not too surprised.

 

[chandru.in]

Fenger accepted "millions of dollars in cash, restricted stock units, and stock options" in exchange for agreeing not to join a competitor

Show me one company which paid so much and then has not sued?

 

[gxsaurav]

Arya, your knowledge of anything non-apple is Nil. The agreement stated that he can not join any other Mobile Phone company for 2 years which he himself signed & agreed to. By joining a Mobile Phone hardware compony he has violated the agreement & is justified for a law suit.

 

[aryayush]

Then he’s just dumb and deserves to be sued.

 

[chandru.in]

^^ Oh so you bashed Motorola without reading the initial post?

 

[narangz]

These unethical executives should be sued ASAP. Well done Motorola!

I don't think Apple is going to support this executive also.

Many companies provide lawyers & money to their employees to fight legal cases with previous employers. However they do it only when they need the executive (usually at big postitions) at any cost.

 

[aryayush]

^^ Oh so you bashed Motorola without reading the initial post?

Yes, I did and I apologise for that.

 

[s18000rpm]

in india, for central govt. employees, its a rule.

no working (not even business) for 2 years after leaving/retiring from a job.

applies to "director" level & above.

 

[NucleusKore]

Yes, I did and I apologise for that.

Your apology looks more like a joke

 

[Faun]

lol (followed by unprecedented coolness...err...urban dictionary)

 

[aryayush]

Your apology looks more like a joke

Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly kill someone.

 

[sourav123]

Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly kill someone.

We don't really expect anything better from Arya. He does not know about anything beyond Apple and cool GUIs. Come to real life sir!