Inprise boss blames predecessor for current woes

NEWS Fuller, 41, took over at the Inprise helm in April 1999 following the enforced resignation of Del Yocam. However, Inprise still continues to suffer with annual revenues standing at $175m compared to $245m in 1996 and a share price that has fallen from last December's $20 high to just over $5 today. Talking exclusively to silicon.com, Fuller said: "I think the company just didn't have the discipline to succeed. The thing with many companies is that a lack of discipline, lack of direction and lack of execution [creates problems] - and lack of execution accounts for about 95 per cent of that. I'd say that was the problem here." Predecessor Yocam was responsible for changing the company name from Borland to Inprise, a decision Fuller regrets. "Borland is a brand everyone knows. It has a lot more cache to it [than Inprise], it brings us back to the roots of our company showing that we are focused on the development community." He added that if he could turn back the clock he would never have introduced the Inprise name and was now "cleaning a lot of the sins of our forefathers". He insisted the company has now turned the corner, achieving profitability last quarter, the first time that had happened in six years. However, Gary Barnett, analyst at Ovum, defended Yocam's role. He said: "Del came in when Inprise desperately needed a technical CEO to make some structural changes. And that's what he did. Having said that, his departure was probably at the right time because Del lacked a complete understanding of what being in the software business was all about, particular given Inprise's broad and complex portfolio." Barnett added that Fuller must take some blame for the company's difficulties. The failed merger with Corel had held Inprise back six months.