First Oracle, then SAP, now Salesforce.com – John Wookey is playing the field when it comes to enterprise applications development.
Wookey quit SAP earlier this year after two-and-a-half years running the firm’s enterprise on-demand software strategy. He had previously been at Oracle where he worked on the Fusion next generation applications there, quitting that role amid rumours that he and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison had not seen eye to eye over the direction of the programme.
The exact nature of his new role at Salesforce.com has not been disclosed, but given his background it’s likely that he will be responsible for beefing up the Cloud apps firm’s enterprise credentials. A Salesforce.com statement simply said:
“We're thrilled to have John join Salesforce.com. He will be focused on special projects that will help us accelerate social enterprise success for customers. ”
Angela Eager of analyst firm TechMarketView, speculated:
“As its social platform is its latest big bet, Wookey will be heavily involved in one of Salesforce.com’s most strategic areas. One of the issues around the deployment of social technologies in business is that organisations are still figuring out what to use them for and how to mould them to their needs. If Wookey brings his product-building skills to the social area the result could be a set of ‘applied’ applications – i.e. applications with a clear purpose and defined business benefit. ”
This would give Salesforce.com a significant competitive advantage, argued Eager:
“If that happens Salesforce.com would be able to stretch out a huge lead over other participants involved in the race to bring social into the enterprise. It would also play well into its work to claim the next generation front office. I can also see potential for more back-office style developments although this area needs a delicate touch so as not to upset the dynamics within the partner ecosystem. Whatever form his work takes, he will have a substantial impact. ”
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