Acer Inc. sued former president and chief executive officer Gianfranco Lanci in an Italian court seeking damages for breach of a non-compete clause, the Taipei-based company said in an e-mailed statement yesterday.

Lanci left Acer last year after helming the company for more than six years. Lenovo Group Ltd. said in September Lanci would join the company as a consultant, and last month named him head of its newly-created Europe, Middle-East and Africa unit.

“We believe Mr. Lanci has breached his non-compete measures agreed into willingly by both parties when he left Acer,” the company said in yesterday’s statement. “We are taking legal action against him in order to protect Acer’s rights and interests.”

Source: Bloomberg