PeopleSoft sharpens management team

Under the shadow of Oracle's hostile bid, PeopleSoft has outlined its local integration strategy after its merger with JD Edwards, including a new management team, cuts to back-office staff and a product roadmap.

Enterprise application software maker PeopleSoft acquired JD Edwards in July 2003, creating what it claimed was the second largest enterprise application software company in the world. The company's local staff was cut by about 6 percent, to about 450, as overlaps in legal and finance teams and back office functions were cut.

Former PeopleSoft Australia managing director David Webster was confirmed as the Australian and New Zealand managing director of the newly merged entity. Former JD Edwards Australia chief Ian Hodge has taken responsibility for Japanese and Asia-Pacific mid-enterprise channels.

Webster said the company would focus on consolidating its offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland and Wellington. The integration process would result in all Sydney staff moving to the PeopleSoft Chatswood offices by December. Webster added that a common email and voice mail systems meant the company acted as a virtual entity from day one.

Webster unveiled details around the new alignment of PeopleSoft and JD Edwards products into three lines; PeopleSoft Enterprise -- a solution for the service industry; PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne -- a manufacturing and asset intensive industries offering also designed for mid-size companies; and PeopleSoft World -- the enterprise application suite for IBM's iSeries platform.

Intellectual property from both companies would be shared across all products.

He also highlighted the ANZ business strategy, which he said was built on a key corporate initiative -- the Total Ownership Experience which consisted of assisting customers to implement, use and maintain applications. To support this, Webster said, PeopleSoft Australia had increased investment in its Global Support Centre, which would become a support hub for the new PeopleSoft in the region.

“I've spent a lot of time with PeopleSoft and JD Edwards employees over the past few months. Employees are genuinely motivated by the great market and product opportunities that this integration offers,” he said.

“I also believe the integration has been a smooth one to date because of the very similar cultures and values of both organisations, with the customer firmly planted at the centre,” Webster added.

On the question of PeopleSoft's ongoing battle with Oracle's aggressive bid for the company, Webster said only “we will stay focused on our customers”.