Hummingbird reorganizes, refocuses on integrated strategy
Taking steps to consolidate its document management, portal and business intelligence interests, Hummingbird Communications has reorganized its operations, resulting in several top-level management changes at newly-acquired PC DOCS Group.
Hummingbird has divided its businesses into three units:
- Knowledge Portals, led by PC DOCS sales VP Fabrizio Mignini, which incorporates all PC DOCS Group companies worldwide;
- Decision Portals, headed by Hummingbird's Business Intelligence GM David Young, with Hummingbird's BI and data transformation product lines; and
- Connectivity Solutions, shepherded by Hummingbird sales VP Julius da Costa.
Hummingbird is also consolidating R&D into one unit to better integrate its collection of related technologies. Hummingbird co-founder Barry Litwin will lead the R&D efforts, with Fulcrum's Gwyn Fisher as VP of Portal R&D and Hummingbird's Fred Whiteside taking over Document Management and Workflow R&D.
"This reorganization around our key strengths reflects our unique strategy to provide a true enterprise information portal," said Jim Tobin, president of Hummingbird. Combined in one portal interface, the document management, business intelligence and search technologies will provide "all the information you need in the right context so you can make faster, better business decisions," predicted Tobin.
With the personnel reshuffling, several well-known PC DOCS Group executives will leave the company, including Rubin Osten, PC DOCS Group founder and CEO, and PC DOCS/Fulcrum president Craig Wallace, as well as the head of PC DOCS Canada. Further moves affecting other senior managers are expected in September.
Hummingbird's strong push for portals is timely given the explosive growth in portals over the next two years projected by the Delphi Group. "With its target corporate portal market exploding in 1999 and expected to reach growth rates well north of 100% moving into 2000-01, Hummingbird faces an absolute imperative to integrate its multiple entities and shorten time-to-market cycles," Delphi said. "Integrating the development teams is a much needed first step."
While questioning how distinct the differences will be between "knowledge" and "decision" portals. Delphi said the reorganization creates some focus for existing Hummingbird customers, and displays a progressive plan for the newly-acquired DOCS/Fulcrum business.