Williams new NetSuite senior VP
San Mateo-based NetSuite Inc. hired Michael R. Williams as senior vice president of worldwide sales. Williams will lead both direct and channel sales teams to further grow the company's revenues and broaden the distribution of the company's award-winning product offerings including NetSuite, Oracle Small Business Suite, NetERP and NetCRM. The Oracle Small Business Suite name is used under license from Oracle Corp. Williams served as senior vice president of Exodus Communications (now a part of Cable & Wireless), where he joined the company as employee number 20. NetSuite also appointed James Ramsey as vice president of small and medium business sales. Ramsey joins NetSuite from Oracle Corp.
Gateway to buy eMachines
Poway-based PC maker Gateway Inc. is buying privately held eMachines Inc. of Irvine, a maker of lower-cost PCs. The cash and stock deal is valued at about $234 million and includes 50 million shares of Gateway common stock and $30 million in cash. The combination will create a strong number three-player in the U.S. PC market and the eighth-largest PC company in the world with 2003 combined revenue of $4.5 billion, Gateway says. The combined company plans to leverage eMachines' established retail relationships and low-cost distribution model in the U.S. and abroad to expand distribution of Gateway's line of consumer electronics products beyond its existing direct channels.
Mailblocks debuts free Web-based mail service
Los Altos-based Mailblocks Inc. launched a free version of its Web-based e-mail service and announced a host of new features for both its free and premium services. Mailblocks helps consumers manage, protect and consolidate their e-mail. The new free service, which is advertising-supported, features 5MB of storage, as well as Mailblocks' anti-spam Challenge/Response 2.0 technology and a range of e-mail management capabilities.
Quest to buy Ohio software company
Irvine-based Quest Software Inc. agreed to pay $115 million for the assets of privately held Aelita Software of Columbus, Ohio. Both companies make software to manage applications on Microsoft operating platforms. Quest said Aelita's software will complement its product line. Aelita's software helps companies change software, implement new software and recover lost data. Quest said the purchase, which is expected to close before the end of the first quarter 2004, would add to its Microsoft product portfolio. Quest Software specializes in application and Microsoft infrastructure management solutions. The company employs 1,700 people worldwide. Quest reported $304 million in revenue for 2003.
Storactive readies LiveBackup for Windows Server 2003
Marina del Ray-based Storactive Inc., the leader in continuous data protection technology, has announced enhancements to Storactive LiveBackup, the industry's only client-server backup software that provides continuous data protection for corporate workstation and mobile system data. LiveBackup offers transparent backup and reliable file, system and disaster recovery for Windows laptop and desktop PCs. The new functionality in the software's latest version includes Windows Server 2003 support and flexible checkpointing technology.
Roxio executives moving to L.A.
Roxio Inc. is moving its headquarters from Santa Clara to Los Angeles, taking some of the space at Napster's offices. Roxio's digital media software division will continue to be managed by Tom Shea in Santa Clara. As part of the realignment, Brad Duea, Roxio's head of worldwide business development, will become Napster's new president, a position previously held by New York-based Mike Bebel. Laura Goldberg will be relocating to Los Angeles in the role of Napster's COO.
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