Western Digital Finance Chief Moyer Gives Notice : Management: He denies his decision was influenced by the recent promotion of another senior top executive to the company’s No. 2 job.

Western Digital Corp. said Thursday that its chief financial officer, A. J. (Bert) Moyer, will resign at the end of the month “to pursue other business opportunities.”

Moyer’s announcement comes a week after the Irvine computer products company promoted Kathryn Braun from senior vice president to the newly created post of executive vice president for operations, essentially the firm’s No. 2 job. Before her appointment, Braun and Moyer were two of four senior vice presidents at Western Digital.

Some company insiders and analysts have speculated that Braun’s appointment puts her in line to succeed Roger W. Johnson as chief executive of the firm. However, Johnson, who also serves as chairman and president, has not announced any plans to leave the company.

But Moyer said Thursday that his departure “is not tied to (Braun’s appointment) at all. It’s not antagonistic at all.”

Moyer said the decision was personal and that he has been contemplating the move for some time. He said he postponed the decision until after the company reported its annual financial results last week. The resignation is effective Sept. 1.

“I am looking forward to spending time with my family and smelling the roses,” Moyer said. “I have no business plans at the moment.”

Johnson also said Moyer’s parting was amicable. He said Moyer’s job will be filled temporarily after Sept. 1 by H. Richard Byrne, corporate controller and chief accounting officer.

“We’re sorry to see him go, and he has done a very good job,” Johnson said. “We’ll miss him, but we have a capable acting replacement in Dick Byrne.”

Moyer joined Western Digital in February, 1986, from Enhansys Inc., a small Silicon Valley computer software firm where he served as chief executive.