sage group, u.k.’s largest listed software company and parent to best and peachtree in the u.s., is changing chairmen.
michael jackson, chairman since 2000 and part of the company for 22 years, is stepping down, to be succeeded by julian horn-smith, the outgoing deputy chief executive of vodafone group.
under jackson, sage became a world leader on software for small and mid-sized business, rivalled only by oracle, intuit and microsoft, each of which have been tough competitiors and sometimes suitors. sage shares were trading near a 52-week high.
jackson’s abdication was, by one report, precipitated by his chairmanship of partygaming which, like sage, is a ftse 100 company. under uk corporate guidelines, an individual should not hold two ftse 100 chairmanships simultaneously.
horn-smith has been at vodafone since it was founded in 1984. he joins the sage board in march as a non-executive director, before leaving vodafone in july and then taking the reins on jackson’s departure.
what’s next for sage? so far, no one’s talking. but we’d place a bet with partygaming that horn-smith has something to prove.
