Business Objects Clarifies the SAP Takeover
Business Objects Clarifies the SAP Takeover
October 31, 2007: Speaking at the annual Insight conference in Sydney, Business Intelligence software provider Business Objects has clarified what will happen to the company with the SAP takeover.
Earlier this month Business Objects (BO) announced it was being acquired in a friendly takeover by the world’s largest business software company SAP. The deal put a valuation of BO at $AU 7.5 Billion but questions have been asked as to what this will mean for existing BO customers and what state the company will be in after the takeover deal.
“There will not be significant structural changes as part of this acquisition, Business Objects as a brand will survive, whether there will be SAP branding on that remains to be seen” said Keith Budge, senior vice president, Business Objects, Asia Pacific Japan.
Budge recognised the need to reassure customers that they would receive the same level of support post-takeover that they have received previously, though this is expected to be a tough undertaking.
“It’s important to note that Business Objects will be able to service and support SAP customers better then ever before, SAP are extremely clear in that they don’t intend to change that” said Budge.
According to Budge the deal is currently going through regulatory clearance in France and the anticipated timeframe to complete the deal is by the end of the first quarter of next year.