IBM brings Lotus closer into the fold

IBM has reorganized the marketing efforts of its software division from traditional product groups to market segments, at the same time bringing subsidiary Lotus Development Corp. closer into the fold.

Big Blue has decided to target four key market segments: transformation and integration, leveraging information, organizational effectiveness and technology management. Sources close to Lotus say the Cambridge, Mass., company has responsibility for the "organizational effectiveness" category.

Within that category, Lotus has tapped Michele Deziel to head a "collaborative applications for e-business" team. In addition, Marjorie Tenzer will head a knowledge management team, and Steve Lewis will head a messaging and collaborative infrastructure team. All three will report to Steve Sayre, Lotus' senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

Each of these groups will pull technologies, products and services from Lotus' traditional offerings, as well as IBM and third parties. An example of this approach is the Lotus Super.Move program launched this summer for messaging migration, sources said.

A fourth Lotus group will focus on distance learning, although it will have more autonomy to act like a startup in order to capture market share quickly, according to sources.