A top executive at Hampton Creek, the high-profile food and technology start-up, who left after only nine days on the job said on Friday he would not remain as an adviser, despite an earlier statement by the company that he would.
The discrepancy between the accounts of Ali Partovi, who became the company’s chief strategy officer in early September, and Hampton Creek suggests the split between the two was not as amicable as the company has said publicly. Neither Mr. Partovi nor Josh Tetrick, the chief executive, will say why Mr. Partovi abruptly resigned. While new executives often do not last, it is unusual for them to leave so quickly.
Mr. Tetrick said the arrangement simply did not work out as planned.
“He’s an incredible person and has made us better in numerous ways,” Mr. Tetrick said in a statement he issued after The Wall Street Journal and others reported on Mr. Partovi’s departure. “I’m fortunate to call him a friend — and mentor. I think we both realized that we’d all be more effective with him as an adviser — given our current needs and opportunities as a young, growing company.”
On Friday evening, though, Mr. Partovi said he would not serve as an adviser to the company. “I resigned completely,” said Mr. Partovi, who remains an investor in Hampton Creek along with his twin brother, Hadi. “I’m not working with Hampton Creek in any capacity.”
Mr. Partovi’s sudden departure from Hampton Creek is even more puzzling because he served as an adviser to Mr. Tetrick for months after investing in the company this year, before he joined Hampton Creek as an executive.
The loss of Mr. Partovi, a well-known tech entrepreneur and investor who made early investments in Facebook, Dropbox and other companies, comes at an important time for Hampton Creek. The company is in discussions with investors to raise up to $50 million in new financing. Hampton Creek is one of the most visible in a wave of start-ups seeking to bring tech-style innovation to the food business.
Hampton Creek, based in San Francisco, has analyzed thousands of plants to find low-cost, environmentally friendly substitutes for common ingredients in various foods. Its best-known product, Just Mayo, is a mayonnaise that uses a type of Canadian yellow pea as a substitute for eggs. Hampton Creek products, which also include a cookie dough, are available at Costco, Dollar Tree, Walmart and Whole Foods.
In a phone interview on Friday evening, Mr. Tetrick said that Mr. Partovi and he realized after Mr. Partovi joined that “it wasn’t a good mutual fit” and that the two of them decided to part ways early rather than trying to force their relationship to work. “My sense is he’ll continue to be helpful for us,” Mr. Tetrick said.
After being informed that Mr. Partovi had said he would not advise the company, Mr. Tetrick sounded surprised.
“O.K.,” he said. He paused before continuing, “Like every person in our world, if they prefer not to be an adviser, that’s their call.”