You can call Rahul Sood, the founder of Voodoo PC, a lot of things: outspoken, opinionated, influential, innovative and maybe even visionary. What you can't call him any more is an employee of HP, having announced that he is resigning from his position as the company's CTO for Global Gaming.
Sood was brought into the HP family in 2006 when it purchased Voodoo PC, the boutique system builder that he founded after leaving school. While his official job title was Chief Technology Officer, Sood wore many hats during his tenure. As well as integrating 'Voodoo DNA' into some of HP's products and helping to revitalise the company's high-end and enthusiast systems, the executive was known to be involved with Palm and HP's forward-looking Innovation Program Office.
Announcing the news on his blog, Sood explained that "I experienced some of the best moments and some of the most challenging moments of my career at HP. It has been an incredible opportunity," adding that "we merged, we invented, we kicked ass, and we had fun, but then things got a little complicated".
Unfortunately, he refused to explain his motivations for leaving or what had made things so 'complicated'. However, it may have something to do with the slow but steady disappearance of the Voodoo brand - and possibly ideology - from HPs product line-up.
Following this decision, the CTO will leave behind everything that is Voodoo PC and return to the industry as an independent entrepreneur. Unsurprisingly for a man as passionate and driven as Sood, it looks like he won't be taking much of a break before returning to work. He concluded by noting that "I'm not satisfied collecting a paycheck unless I am making a remarkable difference. I can't wait to be directly involved in a product pipeline again. Nothing motivates me more than when I'm empowered to make big bets and help to create awesome products".
Sood will officially leave HP on December 1 2010.
