Rumored Oracle re-org

Update: Forgot to mention when I wrote the content below: I also hear there will be a significant layoff, reducing the number of VP and director level staff significantly as the groups mentioned below are consolidated.

There are some rumors of an upcoming or in-progress Oracle re-org after the departure of Chuck Rozwat and Ed Abbo, and with the impending integration of Sun. Only rumors at this point, but please let me know @dbmoore on Twitter if you have any additional information. All that follows is rumor, things I’ve heard, and is in NO WAY claimed to be accurate. And if you are a “journalist” and want to use me as a source, you must speak with me first …

As I understand it, the “theory” behind the Applications re-org is to have all Fusion and “Unlimited” (legacy aka Siebel, eBusiness Suite, JD Edwards, Peoplesoft, etc.) applications under Steve Miranda, so that the older applications can be supported while the Fusion Apps get the key resources they’ll need to be finalized and released over the coming year or so. Steve has been running the Fusion Apps project, and previously the other Apps were under Ed Abbo. Steve Miranda will continue to report to Thomas Kurian (“TK”).

Each of the “TLA” (three letter acronym) apps (e.g. FI, HCM, CRM, SCM/PLM) would be under a single leader, enabling efficient allocation of resources between the older apps and the Fusion Apps. Note that this, if true, would really signal the beginning of the end for the “Unlimited” suite, but also the imminent arrival of the Fusion Apps – the best domain experts would be available to work on Fusion Apps, and would likely move. As one source said, no one on Fusion Apps wants to work on the legacy apps, and everyone on the legacy apps wants to work on Fusion. As I hear it, Anthony Lye will head up CRM, Rick Jewel will head up PLM/SCM, and other obvious candidates will head up the other topics.

The theory behind the re-org that will follow the Sun integration is also to group topics under one head. I’m not certain if topics like hardware and storage management will fall under Thomas Kurian. Other topics where there is overlap will be folded into the equivalent Oracle team, under the existing Oracle team leader/SVP – including middleware/tools, and database. As I understand it, the Java team will be a new team reporting to Thomas Kurian.

MySQL is an interesting topic in this integration. I’ve heard it will be under a long-time Oracle guy, one of the nicest guys I know of there. He is a person who has a real shot of being accepted by, and acceptable to, the mySQL team and the mySQL community. However, I’ve also heard that Oracle will position mySQL as kind of a free, entry-level database, squeezing SQL Server in a “pincer” maneuver between mySQL on the low end and Oracle database on the high end. I’m not sure how well that will be accepted by the many people running high end web sites on mySQL, especially if Oracle uses all the pressure tactics at their disposal against Monty and others who fork mySQL.

Lastly, while the door was left open for Chuck Rozwat’s return, no one expects him to return – at least not in the same capacity (perhaps as a “fellow” or Board member).

That’s all I have for now – please tweet me @dbmoore if you have any more info. Thanks!

Chuck Rozwat’s resignation announcement

This is reputed to be the text of the e-mail Chuck Rozwat sent out to the company yesterday (7/14) morning, announcing his departure from Oracle.

Subject: Time for a change
From: Charles Rozwat
To: crozwat_org_ww@oracle.com
CC: [CC list redacted]

It is time for a change. After 15 years at Oracle (following 17 years at Digital Equipment) in software development, I have decided it is time for me to step away from my current role and broaden my knowledge and skills in another dimension. As of August 1st, I will be leaving my current position and taking a 12 month leave of absence to study public policy at Harvard University. Thomas Kurian will be assuming responsibility for overall Product Development.

I will take the next twelve months to gain a perspective different from my years developing software as part of the high tech, private sector world. I have accepted admission to a 1 year Masters program in Public Administration, at the Kennedy School of Government, which I begin this September. This program, designed for established, international leaders from both the public and private sector, will allow me to study a number of the issues that face public/private enterprise at a time when almost every policy area is being reevaluated. I look forward to a year from now, to see how I can add value to Oracle with an additional set of skills and an enhanced perspective.

This has been a long-considered and difficult decision in many respects, but one thing is extremely clear. The future is brighter than ever for Oracle. We are at the beginning of a new product cycle, with major new products and versions in Database 11gR2, FMW 11gR1/2, Enterprise Manager, Exadata V2, our Collaboration and Integration products and all of our Applications, now including Fusion. With the pending acquisition of Sun, we add yet another dimension.

The Oracle leadership team is the strongest it has ever been. I extend my thanks to every member of the Executive Committee and their teams for their support of our product efforts. It is impossible for me to express my gratitude to Larry for what his overall product guidance has meant to the product development organization and also the life changing experience it has been for me to be allowed to be part of his team. I thank Charles and Safra, not only for the skills and success they have brought to their roles, but also the support and direction they have brought to our product efforts.

I thank you for your commitment to our mission and your excellence in building and integrating the greatest software products in the industry. I also thank you for your personal support. Since joining Oracle as the head of our first “major” acquisition, I have been amazed by the talent and dedication of our people. We are the best Software Development organization on the planet. We have delivered the most functional, industry-leading products across all major enterprise software categories. You can be proud that the world runs on the products we have built. The world runs on Oracle.

Chuck

Predictions and info for Oracle Fusion Middleware launch, July 1

I saw some interesting tweets and have been hearing other rumors and facts regarding Oracle Fusion Middleware and Applications, and Oracle’s upcoming announcement on July 1. Here is what I was able to glean and infer based on this information.

First, my predictions:

• Oracle will explicitly or implicitly reveal its plans (and post-merger org structure) for Java in the post-Sun-acquisition period for Fusion Middleware at the Fusion Middleware (FMW) launch on July 1.
• Oracle will deprecate Eclipse (which they don’t control) quickly, trying to move Java developers to JDeveloper (which they control). JDeveloper will have tight links to FMW components as well as generic Java, which Oracle will tout as benefits. My $0.02: this is a futile and silly effort, as Eclipse is so much more than just a Java development environment, with an ecosystem that creates enormous value around it. Oracle should come to some “understanding” with IBM and just adopt Eclipse.
• Oracle will show a lot about how Fusion Apps will adopt FMW on July 1 (especially the Java Platform and WebCenter). This is likely to be a real game-changer. I am not certain that other ERP vendors will be able to deliver anything like the compelling user experience, social capabilities, and productivity which will be available with Oracle’s new Fusion Applications. Of course, many application customers will stick with their legacy apps, but new implementations (and license purchases) will likely lean heavily towards Oracle Fusion Applications when they are available for financials/HR, which I predict will be around the end of this year. Incidentally, I heard that something like 1000 applications staff from the “legacy” apps at Oracle had been moved several (6 to 9) months ago to Thomas Kurian’s group to work on beefing up the functionality in the Fusion Applications.
• There will be no major pricing changes with the new middleware (as compared to today’s pricing). However, customers probably will have to buy new licenses as this will be viewed as new products rather than upgrades.
• There will be a new advanced rules engine included in FMW.
• WebCenter and Portal will be upgraded significantly and well-integrated.
  

Conceptual architecture diagram of Oracle’s product offerings (click on it for a larger version):

Presenters at this event:

• Hasan Rizvi: Senior Vice President, Fusion Middleware
• Dave Shaffer: Vice President, Oracle Integration
  
• Duncan Mills: Senior Director, Product Management, Tools
  
• Margaret Lee: Director, Product Management, Tools and Middleware (?)
  
• Ted Farrell: Chief Architect & SVP, Tools & Middleware
• Sue Harper: Senior Principal Product Manager, SQL Developer
• Christina Kolotouros: Director, Product Management, WebCenter and Portal
  
• Forest Yin: Director, Product Management, Identity Management products
• Mike Lehman: Senior Director, Product Management, Java Platform

If you have any additional information or rumors or inferences to share, please twitter me or leave a comment on this blog.