Oracle reinforces European attack

The company's expansion plans hinge on an improved distribution modelas well as a fresh image

Oracle will expand its distribution model across Europe and is to launch a multimillion pound branding campaign aimed at heightening its profile as a services and solutions provider.

The company aims to implement a distribution strategy based on regional, country and pan-European distributors.

Speaking at last week's Oracle Open World conference in San Francisco, Pier Carlo Fallotti, senior vice president of Oracle Europe, said: 'There will definitely be more indirect distribution. We will expand it to people who are dedicated to selling Oracle products.'

The firm said it will implement a distribution strategy so it can service contracts worth as little as $10,000 based around its network computing architecture (NCA) from subsidiary Network Computing Inc.

Ray Lane, Oracle president and COO, said: 'We will bifurcate or trifurcate distribution.' By 1 June 1997, the company will have in place its distribution strategy based on targeting new vertical markets including consumer packaged goods and government.

Anita McCabe, Sphinx Level V sales and marketing director, said she expected the distribution setup would remain stable in the UK for at least the next 12 months. She cited the fact that in September, Oracle signed Azlan as its second UK distributor.

'Last year we signed 400 resellers for Oracle so there is no reason why Oracle wouldn't continue to do business with us,' she said. 'We are in discussions with three hardware manufacturers who are producing network computers (NCs) based on NCA and expect to make some announcements within a month.'

In his keynote speech to the forum, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison again outlined his vision for an information society based on NCs, which he referred to as 'the common heritage of all mankind'.

He attacked Microsoft for jumping on the NC bandwagon, saying that any network PC which contained a version of Windows was going to be an overspecified machine. But he refrained from criticising Intel, which will ship a version of Oracle's NC before the end of the year.