Novell Appoints New Vice President to Lead Services Strategy

• Robert Couture, departing COO of Berkeley Enterprise Partners and former IBM and Xerox executive, named vice president of Global Consulting for Novell
• Will help drive Novell's shift to solutions focus
• Responsible for global consulting strategy for both Novell and recently acquired Cambridge Technology Partners professional services groups

 

Novell, Inc, a leading provider of Net business solutions, today announced the appointment of Robert Couture as vice president of Global Consulting. Most recently chief operating officer for Berkeley Enterprise Partners, Couture brings over 20 years of business development and professional services experience to the position. Couture will be responsible for ensuring that Novell's professional services organization around the globe has the skills, tools, and culture to support Novell's new solutions focus. Having worked in similar positions to integrate a service component with product offerings at both IBM Global Services and Xerox Professional Services, Couture brings highly relevant hands-on experience to help Novell rapidly adopt a solutions focus.

Couture will be responsible for developing and executing Novell's global consulting services growth strategy, which encompasses both Novell's historical consulting resources and those of Cambridge Technology Partners, the global eServices division of Novell acquired in July 2001. He will help drive Novell's efforts to enhance the value to customers of Novell® products through expanded services delivery, while also tapping Novell product opportunities to expand consulting sales. In addition, Couture will develop and oversee a partnership strategy to work with Novell's third-party service providers and capitalize on new alliance or acquisition opportunities/alternatives to generate significant revenue growth.

"We're very excited to have someone the caliber of Bob Couture join Novell," said Jack Messman, chairman and CEO of Novell. "For Novell to move forward, we've got to translate the acquisition of Cambridge quickly into an effective solutions approach, with the combined products and services that customers need to solve complex eBusiness challenges today. Bob's experience at leading companies like IBM and Xerox is exactly in this space - helping move beyond just selling technology to selling solutions."

Prior to Berkeley Enterprise Partners, Couture, 49, served as senior vice president and general manger of Xerox Professional Services, responsible for developing a services capability to support Xerox's move to a solutions company. In that position, he drove worldwide professional services sales and delivery, strategic partner alliances, and acquisitions - including the $415 million acquisition of XL Connect.

Earlier in his career, Couture held a series of executive level positions with the IBM Consulting Group and IBM Global Services, the world's largest information technology services provider. During his 20-year tenure, he held a number of management positions, serving as vice president for IBM Global Services' Systems Management and Networking Services consulting practice before leaving to join Xerox.

Couture will report to Stewart Nelson, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Novell.

About Novell

Novell, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVL), is a leader in eBusiness solutions and Net services software designed to secure and power the networked world. Novell and its eServices division, Cambridge Technology Partners, help organizations solve complex business challenges, simplify their systems and processes, and capture new opportunities with one Net solutions. Novell provides worldwide channel, consulting, education and developer programs to support its offerings.

For information on Novell's complete range of products and services, contact Novell's Customer Response Center at (888) 321-4CRC (4272), or visit Novell's Web site at http://www.novell.com. Information on eBusiness and integration solutions from Cambridge Technology Partners can be accessed at http://www.ctp.com. Press may access Novell announcements and company information on the World Wide Web at http://www.novell.com/pressroom.

Novell and Cambridge Technology Partners are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.