Mark Papermaster has been in reports from the time he got recruited by Apple Inc. He was barred for working with Apple by IBM, his previous employer.

IBM has sued the recruitment of Papermaster fearing that Apple can benefit from the trade secrets as he was closely involved in development segment. But in a new twist, Papermaster has countersued IBM, stating that non-competition deal signed in 2006 is unenforceable and too broadly written.

Papermaster has been recruited to head iPod and iPhone development at Apple.

In the countersuit, Papermaster has argued that Apple and IBM are not really rivals. They are not significant competitors. IBM provides business services, while Apple is into design, manufacturing and marketing of consumer electronic products.

Papermaster also asserted that the non-competition agreement at IBM was an effort to restrict him from working for “any company that engages in competition with his former business unit to any extent.”

IBM has charged that Papermaster, was involved in the development of the Power line of microprocessors and in charge of the company’s blade server development, might be working on similar ventures at Apple and can share trade secrets.

Tamanna Mehta/ITVoir Network