sage group, u.k.’s largest listed software company and parent to best and peachtree in the u.s., is changing chairmen.<\/i><\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"