IBM Doesn't Want Executive To Join Apple, Goes Legal

IBM has filed a legal suit against its former executive Mark Papermaster in order to prevent him from joining Apple Inc.  

Mark Papermaster was the vice president at IBM’s Blade development unit and is recognised as one of the leading names in the field of chip design. 

IBM in its legal suit filed at the United States District Court in Manhattan has said Papermaster had signed a non-compete agreement which prevents him from taking any assignment with a rival company for one year after leaving it. 

In addition IBM also claimed the he was one its top executives and had access to vital trade secrets and intellectual property rights and his association with a rival may harm the company. 

The company in a statement said that "In his capacity as a member of the I&VT, Mr. Papermaster has gained access to confidential information concerning the company's strategic plans, marketing plans and long term business opportunities, including the development of specific IBM products."  

It is interesting to note that Papermaster was closely associated in the development of PowerPC chip by IBM in late nineties and was likely to have extensively communicated with Apple during this phase as Apple was the biggest customer of the PowerPC platform.