Novell Slips Sun Star Schmidt into Top Slot

Networking giant Novell has finally filled the role of chairman at the company after poaching ex-Sun chief technology officer and software pioneer Eric Schmidt.

Schmidt will replace Bob Frankenberg, former Novell president and chief executive officer, who resigned suddenly in August 1996.

But Schmidt?s appointment has sparked speculation that Sun could be positioning itself to take over Novell. According to US observers, Schmidt?s role would be to spearhead closer collaboration between the two companies, leading to a takeover in an attempt to tackle Microsoft.

Both firms refused to comment directly on the speculation, but confirmed that Novell and Sun already worked closely together on Java.

Andrew Sadler-Smith, UK sales director at Novell, said: ?Business has been going really well, but we needed to make that CEO appointment.

?People have been saying: Novell, where are you going?? and Schmidt is our answer. He will take us on to the next market level by helping us reach the objective of dominating the internet.?

Schmidt will take up the role of chairman on 7 April. He will share the running of the organisation with Novell president and chief operating officer Joe Marengi.

According to Sadler-Smith, Marengi will be responsible for looking at the ?running of the business now? and Schmidt will be ?in charge of the business of the future?. John Young, acting chairman, will become vice chairman.

Scott McNealy, chairman, president and CEO of Sun, referred to Schmidt as ?an awesome technologist?.

Schmidt, who spent 14 years at Sun and was one of the pioneers of Java, was reported as saying the job with Novell was ?the opportunity of a lifetime?.

?Novell is under-appreciated,? he said. ?It has the largest concentration of people in networking, which is my field.?