Geac's Dun & Bradstreet Software unit undergoes reorganisation (440)

Dun & Bradstreet Software (DBS) UK was in the throes of a major reorganisation last week following its acquisition by Geac last October.

The restructuring has led to the loss of more senior management, although the applications software supplier has been bleeding staff since the buy-out.

Recent losses include Ken Walters, former vice president international and Pete Sinsigalle, former chief financial officer, who left in December in the wake of the collapse of a proposed acquisition deal with Bain Capital.

Stephen Edwards, former VP of Europe and Chris Elliott, former European marketing director, also both departed in December, followed by Mark Wells, UK managing director, last week.

Other country managers to have departed include Karl Kinders from Holland, who now works at System Software Associates, Pierre Lannadere from France and Enrique Gamazo from Spain, who were paid off before the Geac purchase.

DBS UK, which is now headed by Phil Jordan, senior vice president of Geac?s international business, has also been divided into four vertical market units replacing the traditional horizontal model.

These comprise retail and government, currently looked after by Alan Hunt, although a manager for the government business is still being sought.

The two other new units are finance and commercial. Both are currently managed by Stephen Shine, although a finance boss will be recruited in time. Both report directly into Jordan.

Jordan said: ?We concluded that the resources in the UK were a little high compared to revenues, so we wanted to undertake a cost-cutting exercise and evaluate how to go forward. Geac is focused on niche markets, and because the strategy worked for it, we?re rolling the model into DBS. But you don?t step from a horizontal to a vertical structure easily or quickly. We?ve made the first step.?

He added that a fifth healthcare unit may be introduced into the UK from the US, but the salesforce, marketing and account management teams were currently being divided among the vertical businesses.

Geac is currently evaluating whether to integrate offerings such as its Winnear payment reconciliation application for Swift with DBS? Smartstream financial modules. It also wants to leave itself with the option of integrating DBS with the other Geac businesses.

But the UK model will not be rolled out across the other smaller European subsidiaries until it has proved a success in the UK.

Dennis Keeling, analyst at consultancy Keeling Associates, said: ?I?m impressed by the way Geac is now reviewing the opportunities available to DBS. It obviously had to make significant changes to the management structure, but the change to four vertical streams is an excellent choice and gives it a good chance against its competitors.?