Symantec denies problems after sales exodus

Symantec?s salesforce has been left in disarray after losing three staff, including corporate sales manager Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Sources suggest that Kasprzyk and corporate sales executives Ben Bulpitt and John Reed all left in quick succession during the past six weeks, following the sale of Symantec?s networking division to Hew- lett Packard.

One source said: ?During the past few weeks there?s been a sudden exodus at Symantec. Corporate sales are disenchanted because Symantec sold off its main corporate product and now all they?re left with is utilities and antivirus products.?

Bulpitt joined Novell three weeks ago as senior business manager and Reed is reported to be joining HP.

Aled Miles, Symantec marketing manager for Northern Europe, confirmed three staff had quit but denied having any problems. ?To our knowledge we have lost none to competitors. There is no unrest and we have a broad corporate portfolio. There is no connection between the three people?s exit,? he said.

According to Miles, the sales team is in double figures, but another source said it was less than 10 people.

HP acquired Symantec?s networking business unit, including three components of its Norton Administrator suite, at the end of April. Bulpitt denied the reports. ?My move was nothing more than a better opportunity at Novell. I left Symantec on amicable terms.?