Novell Invests In Whittman-Hart

In a bid to bolster its services offerings, Novell today said it will invest $100 million in IT consulting firm Whittman-Hart Inc.

The networking vendor is looking to Whittman-Hart, which focuses its integration services on the midsize market, to speed up deployment of Novell Directory Services in businesses. The two companies will also work together on developing customized NDS systems for midsize businesses that integrate the directory services with E-business applications, including customer-relationship management, supply-chain management, and Internet-based ERP systems. Whittman-Hart will train 600 consultants in NDS and associated Novell systems. "We're turning directories on and making it a de facto standard for organizations," says Robert Bernard, chairman and CEO of Whittman-Hart.

The investment, which accounts for approximately 6% of Whittman-Hart's capitalization, is part of Novell's strategy to invest in and partner with services firms that will help the company push the adoption and deployment of its directory services worldwide.

Whittman-Hart also announced today the hiring of Maureen Osborne as CIO. Osborne will oversee all technology and integration programs for new acquisitions. Before joining the company, Osborne served as CIO of Heller Financial Inc. and was project manager at IBM Global Services, overseeing the Bank of America outsourcing contract.