UK CRM vendor AIT has confirmed its name change to Portrait Software and announced the appointment of former Staffware alumni John O'Connell and Robin Martin as chairman and chief operating officer respectively.
The name change comes as the group seeks to escape its chequered recent past - culminating in the ongoing trial of three former directors on market abuse charges - and develop more positive branding.
O'Connell's arrival as non-executive chairman also sees the departure of Richard Hicks, AIT's founder who returned to the group to put together a rescue package following a cashflow crisis in 2002.
O'Connel has an impeccable pedigree as founder, chairman and chief executive of Staffware, the business process management firm that was sold last year to Tibco Software, for US$230 million, with a track record of consistent profitability and revenues of $80 million for the year ended 31 December 2003.
Robin Martin worked for Staffware from 1994 until its sale to Tibco, and as chief operating officer from 2001 was responsible for building the company's worldwide sales and partner network. As COO at Portrait, Martin reports directly to incumbent CEO Nick Randall.