There’s been a number of executive shake-ups lately, with the onset of the new fiscal year and even a scandal or two forcing changes in the top echelons of corporate tech. From HP to Apple, big businesses are restructuring for the future.

HP

We’ll jump right into HP’s story–no need to beat around that bush. If you’ve kept up with SiliconANGLE over the weekend, you already know that HP’s CEO Mark Hurd stepped down after a sexual harassment case shed light on falsified documents at the company. The plunging shares reflect investors’ immediate concerns with HP, while the search for a new company head provides them with an opportunity to shift directions.

Reuters cites the crossroads at which HP now stands, facing competition on several fronts. IBM and Cisco have made significant strides in software, hardware, securities and cloud computing, while a number of tablet makers threaten HPs hopes of launching a viable iPad alternative. A quote from Reuters says it all:

…given HP’s size — it is a sprawling company with more than 300,000 employees — ramping up top-line growth will be a challenge for whoever succeeds Hurd. “Whoever they name as a successor, investors are going to read that as a signal for the direction they’re taking,” said Stifel Nicolaus analyst Aaron Rakers.

Apple

And as nice as it is to be on top, Apple still faces challenges maintaining its dominance. Ongoing issues with the iPhone 4 (hello Antennagate) have brought some unwanted attention to Mark Papermaster’s departure from Apple. The senior vice president for mobile devices, Papermaster joined Apple only 15 months ago from IBM.

While current iPhone 4 issues have not been named as the exact cause for Papermaster’s decision to leave Apple, it does look like he had a number of issues with Apple culture and Steve Jobs himself. From The Wall Street Journal,

Mr. Papermaster had lost the confidence of Mr. Jobs months ago and hasn’t been part of the decision-making process for some time, these people said. They added that Mr. Papermaster didn’t appear to have the type of creative thinking expected at Apple and wasn’t used to Apple’s corporate culture, where even senior executives are expected to keep on top of the smallest details of their areas of responsibility and often have to handle many tasks directly, as opposed to delegating them.

Time Warner, Inc.

Another large company that will require nimbleness in the coming year is Time Warner. The media magnate has confirmed Jack Griffin as its new head, starting in September. There’s no juicy details to this executive switch–current CEO Ann Moore (the non-Mark, apparently) is preparing to retire after 35 years in the business. Where Time Warner goes from here, however, is a task that will be given to the company’s new executive.

Jack Griffin will be facing an interesting time for media, as Time Warner’s television and cable marketshare gets eaten up by web-based initiatives. A boost in advertising interests this past year has helped Time Warner remain relevant, though the increase in new media consumption practices threaten the media company’s core. Incorporating its old ways into the digital era is an ongoing process for Time Warner and all the others, with content providers beginning to seek monetization in the burgeoning areas.