Anything for STK here?.........
Andreessen out as AOL's tech chief
By Michelle Quinn
Mercury News Staff Writer
Marc Andreessen, the 28-year-old Internet pioneer, is now a part-timer at America Online Inc.
Marc Andreessen
AOL, the Dulles, Va.-based online giant, announced Friday that Andreessen would no longer be the chief technology officer, a post he's held since AOL's February purchase of Netscape Communications Corp., which Andreessen co-founded in 1994.
Now, Andreessen will be a part-time strategic adviser to AOL, focusing on start-up investments in Silicon Valley.
His replacement is William Raduchel, an 11-year veteran of Sun Microsystems Inc. most recently responsible for corporate planning, development and long-range strategy. Raduchel was one of the chief negotiators in Sun Microsystems' alliance with the newly combined America Online and Mountain View-based Netscape.
``It puts me one level up on the food chain to realize my vision,' said Raduchel, 53. ``Ten years ago, I started with the idea that the computer system had become like the public switch network. Computers are a long way from that yet. But AOL is probably the best embodiment of the kind of company to make it happen.'
Andreessen's new part-time status comes on the heels of an exodus of former Netscape executives, including company chief executive James Barksdale, who is still on AOL's board, and its general counsel Roberta Katz. Mike Homer, the general manager of Netcenter, left that post but still works at AOL.
Andreessen, who appeared barefoot on the cover of Time Magazine in 1996 as the wunderkind of the Internet, initiated the job switch at AOL, according to a statement released by AOL. ``Marc will focus on what he likes doing best -- nurturing the rapidly growing number of new companies in Silicon Valley and elsewhere -- while remaining a strategic adviser to AOL on technology and investment issues,' said Steve Case, AOL's chief executive, in a statement.
One analyst saw Andreessen's part-time status as a step toward an eventual departure from AOL.
``It's an easy way out potentially,' said Bruce Kasrel, senior analyst with Forrester Research in Cambridge, Mass. ``I don't think he'll abandon Netscape as long as Netscape is still used by AOL.'
Andreessen's passion is in making interesting technology, a different focus than AOL's, Kasrel said. ``My guess is that AOL is not motivated to push the technological edge. They are not trying to become the next Microsoft. They want to be the next media company. And they are doing a good job.'
Jim Clark, Netscape's other co-founder, told Bloomberg News he wasn't surprised with Andreessen's decision. ``AOL is all about: `The place that people get on the Net,' Clark said. ``It's a different culture and has a different set of things driving them.... I'm even more surprised he stayed in the first place.'
When AOL bought Netscape in February, Andreessen expressed interest then in eventually helping to incubate new technology companies. He invested in Replay Networks Inc., for example, a Mountain View company that makes devices that find and digitally store TV programs. In August, AOL said it has taken a minority stake in a Replay competitor, TiVo Inc.
This summer, Andreessen took a stake in Accompany Inc., a private San Francisco company that will allow consumers to band together to buy over the Internet.
On Aug. 20, Andreessen filed to sell about $90 million of AOL shares.
The change is potentially good news for Sun, which has worked closely with AOL to make products.
``If Bill had gone to the dark side, that would be one thing. But he's going to a strong Sun ally,' said Daniel Kunstler, an analyst with J.P. Morgan & Co. in San Francisco. ``He's been very influential at Sun with a view of the world of computing as a cost-efficient public utility, an appliance paradigm. He's going to take a big user and promoter of the usage of computing, like an AOL, and steer its technical strategy towards Sun.'
Raduchel, contacted at a golf course in Orinda, said Case had called him two weeks ago to offer him the job. ``Steve was concerned that this decision strengthen the alliance, not weaken it,' he said.
He jumped at the chance. ``I've been working 10 years on the tool side. Now I want to do something to take those tools and do something. You tend to get frustrated building tools, and you want to see it as real products and services that people use.'
While Raduchel plans to move east, he doesn't intend to sell his Silicon Valley house. ``I'll be one of those wonderful bicoastal people.'
Andreessen told Reuters that he planned to spend more time in Silicon Valley than Northern Virginia. He had been splitting time between both coasts since joining AOL.
``I had one of my English bulldogs in Northern Virginia, but it turned out it couldn't go outside' when the temperature rose about 80 degrees, he said.
Mercury News wire services contributed to this report |
