McAfee name may live on after merger

Although the firms have said the joint company will call itself Network Associates, recently appointed McAfee UK managing director Nigel Rix said that the McAfee moniker could survive in some shape.

"It's in the melting pot but McAfee is a very strong brand name and we're still a little bit undecided," Rix said. "It may be that we'll continue to use the McAfee name as part of our business. There's a lot to be said for using it."

Separately, Rix said that McAfee's 23 UK staff in Bracknell could move into Network General's European headquarters in nearby Windsor where 40 staff are currently employed. "It's undecided but we've grown so quickly that we're a little bit squeezed in where we are; Network General has a very impressive space." A move is expected early in the new year.

Rix said that the merger needn't spell redundancies, and hinted that the company could even enlarge its total number of staff: "Hopefully two plus two equals five. We're growing the business."