Ellison Takes Over Applications Group
By Shawn Willett
Redwood Shores, Calif
8:11 PM EST Tues., Mar. 24, 1998
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Oracle chairman Larry Ellison is taking over management of the
Oracle Applications group, after two quarters of slower than
expected growth, according to sources inside and close to the
company.
While senior vice president Ron Wall remains officially in charge of
the group, sources said Ellison is now personally overseeing
product development, marketing and other functions in an effort to
jumpstart sales.
"If you know your work is going to be seen by Larry your more apt to
make sure its perfect," said one Oracle employee, who asked not to
be named.
Oracle officials would not comment other than to say that Larry was
taking a more direct hand in managing the group.
Ellison has his work cut out for him. In Oracle's last quarter, ended in
February, sales were up 30 percent. While that is healthy it was
below internal targets. For the quarter ended in November, sales
were up only 7 percent.
Those growth rates were slower than Oracle's competitors in the
client/server applications arena - SAP America Inc. and Baan Co.
Ellison has said that the company hopes to someday overtake SAP
in the applications arena.
Ellison's personal interest in the Applications group is a marked
departure from his recent NC crusade, which only indirectly affected
sales of Oracle's core products. |
