HP announced a restructure of its webOS device platform business, as part its strategy for “accelerating the global expansion” of the operating system. The company has reshuffled its management, with Stephen DeWitt becoming senior VP and general manager of the webOS global business unit. In addition to responsibility for “all aspects of the webOS business, including engineering, research and development, sales, marketing and go-to-market support,” DeWitt will also “spearhead the creation of a fully integrated, global developer and independent software vendor program to deliver new consumer and business applications.” He was previously head of the Personal Systems Group (PSG) Americas Region at HP, and in a statement, Todd Bradley, EVP of PSG (and another former Palm exec), said that he has “a proven ability to build and scale organisations into global, multibillion dollar operations.” Jon Rubinstein, former CEO of Palm and “the visionary behind webOS,” has now been given a “product innovation role within the PSG at HP,” with the job title SVP.

The reshuffle follows a lukewarm reaction to HP’s TouchPad (pictured), its first tablet device to be powered by webOS. Information Week said that the product “carries enough disappointments that you’ll probably wait for the next version.” PreCentral.net published what was said to be an internal memo from Rubinstein, which acknowledged that “reviewers rightly note things we need to improve about the webOS experience.” In its statement, HP made no reference to previous speculation that it is set to licence the operating system to third parties, in order to help grow the webOS ecosystem.