Geac Computer Corporation Limited.
Geac Appoints Global Head of Performance Management Business
Markham, Ontario and Southborough, Massachusetts (ots/PRNewswire)
- Former SAP America SVP and General Manager Jeffrey W. Murphy Positioned to Accelerate Geac's Software License Sales Growth
As part of a strategic effort designed to enhance and accelerate its ability to extend the Geac Performance Management product family and grow software license revenue globally, Geac(R) (TSX: GAC, NASDAQ: GEAC) today announced the appointment of Jeffrey W. Murphy to lead the Geac Performance Management software business worldwide. Mr. Murphy, an 18-year veteran of the enterprise software industry who previously served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of SAP America, Inc., will oversee all customer-facing operations related to Geac Performance Management, the segment of Geac's business that the Company has identified as its longer-term "umbrella strategy" for growth.
"Nothing is more important to Geac's future success than the growth of our software license revenue," Charles S. Jones, President and CEO of Geac said. "Jeff's impressive track record speaks for itself. He has a solid history of growing software company revenues through a range of market channels and strategic alliances, and he has successfully directed global sales organisations with demonstrable results. Geac Performance Management will benefit greatly from his creativity, energy and business acumen."
Mr. Murphy will lead the Geac Performance Management software business worldwide with direct responsibility for Sales, Professional Services, Business Development and Sales Development. With this effort, the Company has centralised reporting for Geac Performance Management, which had previously been managed on a regional basis. Based in Geac's Southborough, MA office, Mr. Murphy will report directly to Mr. Jones.
"Geac has had an impressive year in a continually challenging market," said Mr. Murphy. "With a promising growth path, with a strong management team and with a compelling future strategy, I am very excited to be joining the Company."
Mr. Murphy has built a track record of success in the enterprise software industry predicated on growing company revenue through direct sales to Fortune 500 organisations, and by developing strategic alliances with systems integrators and other channel partners. At SAP America, he was responsible for the US$250 million Services Sector P&L, comprising seven industries, and the US$120 million Human Resource Business Unit. Mr. Murphy also has held executive positions at several other enterprise software companies, including Performix Technologies (employee performance management software), Yantra Corp. (fulfillment management and supply chain software), and Storage Networks (storage as a service), all of which he led through major growth phases. Mr. Murphy began his career at Oracle Corporation.
As part of the global restructuring, the Company also announced the promotion of Brian Hartlen to Vice President of Global Marketing. Mr. Hartlen, who was previously Vice President of Marketing for Geac Enterprise Solutions in North America, will now be responsible for executing all market research, branding, promotion, advertising and marketing programs on a worldwide basis in an effort to build Geac's sales pipeline across many product lines.
Mr. Hartlen joined Geac in 2003 through Geac's acquisition of Comshare, the cornerstone product suite in Geac Performance Management. Before coming to Geac, Mr. Hartlen spent the majority of his successful marketing and sales career with Comshare. Mr. Hartlen will be based in the Southborough, MA office and will also report directly to Mr. Jones.
"Brian was building and positioning performance management software in the enterprise software market before the pundits had even coined the Business Performance Management category. His keen understanding of this compelling product family and the many critical customer needs it addresses for the CFO is invaluable," continued Mr. Jones. "By rearranging our structure more closely with our target global client audience and by centralising the reporting of these important functions to me, we are aligning the marketing and sales teams around mutually supportive business goals and objectives. Having examined our global and regional reporting models over the past two years, this global structure is the one we judge will be the most beneficial to our customers."
Concurrently, Geac announced that James Travers, Senior Vice President and President of Geac Americas, is leaving Geac to pursue other opportunities. "In the past two years, Jim has led the integration and stabilisation of the sales force and US operations following the acquisition of Extensity and Comshare, the two organisations that provided the foundation for the Geac Performance Management family of products," said Mr. Jones. "We wish him well in his future endeavors."
About Geac
Geac (TSX: GAC, NASDAQ: GEAC) is a global enterprise software company for Business Performance Management, providing customers worldwide with the core financial and operational solutions and services to improve their business performance in real time. Further information is available at http://www.geac.com or through e-mail at info@geac.com.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current expectations. Important factors that could cause a material difference between these forward-looking statements and actual events include those set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in Geac's report on Form 6-K for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2004, filed on September 8, 2004 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission available through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov/, and Geac's MD&A filed on September 8, 2004 with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available through the website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators and the Canadian Depository for Securities Limited at http://www.sedar.com/. Geac is a registered trademark of Geac Computer Corporation Limited. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact:
For further information: Investor Contact: Alys Scott, Geac,
+1(508)871-5854, alys.scott@geac.com; Media Contact: David Domeshek,
Geac,
+1(508)-871-5064, david.domeshek@geac.com