Borman Tapped To Fill Vacated IBM Software Post

IBM Tuesday tapped Mike Borman to fill the role of Software Group vice president of worldwide sales, filling the slot left vacant when John Swainson left the company to take over as Computer Associates CEO last November.

Borman's appointment, announced Tuesday and effective immediately, comes just six months after he took over as general manager of IBM's troubled iSeries business. Prior to that, Borman was general manager of IBM global Business Partners.

"To see Mike Borman in a software role is fantastic," said Mike Fischer, vice president of enterprise software and services at MIS Systems Integrators, an IBM Premier Business Partner in Omaha, Neb.

Fischer said that Borman, who reports directly to Steve Mills, senior vice president and IBM Software Group Executive, needs to quickly implement an account registration program for Business Partners selling IBM software similar to the one in place for IBM hardware. He said too many Business Partners are bidding on the same business, destroying margins for those who have heavily invested in the IBM brand. "We are having to forgo our profitability because some partner comes in at the last minute who is not adding value but is willing to discount aggressively," he said.

Kirk Zaranti, senior vice president of sales for the IBM Division of Logicalis, a solution provider in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., added, "Mike's been a great friend and visionary for the channel, and putting him in the IBM software group worldwide will have a very positive effect for VARs," he said. Zaranti noted that Borman implemented an account registration program that eased conflicts in IBM hardware channel sales when he served as IBM's global channel chief. "We are looking forward to him fixing that in the software world as well," he said. An IBM spokesman acknowledged that Borman's six-month stint in the iSeries post was unusually brief, but when a position of this importance opens up at IBM, the company looks for the best available candidate, the spokesman said.

Zaranti said Borman jump started IBM's iSeries business in recent months by reinvesting in the company's commitment to ISVs. "We did as much iSeries business in the fourth quarter as we did all year," he said.

The task of maintaining momentum in the iSeries now falls to Mark Shearer, who was named to replace Borman. Shearer was previously vice president, marketing and strategy, for IBM's Systems and Technology Group.

Taking over for Shearer is Maureen McGuire, formerly vice president of marketing and strategy, IBM Global Services.