"We got to know Mike while he was CEO at Siebel Systems, and we were investors there earlier this year," Jeff Ubben, ValueAct co-founder and managing partner, said in a statement.
Currently engaged in a $2 billion hostile takeover bid for data storage company Acxiom, ValueAct indicated that Lawrie would play a "significant leadership" role at the company if it is ultimately acquired.
Should the hostile bid go through, ValueAct would assign two other executives to join Lawrie at Acxiom, ValueAct said in its statement about Lawrie's partnership appointment.
Lawrie, a former IBM sales and marketing executive, will serve as one of seven partners at ValueAct and will be based in its Boston office.
"Mike has successfully run sales forces, divisions and whole companies--both domestically and internationally--and brings the perspective of a CEO that can only be positive for our investment process and relationships with portfolio companies," Ubben said.
ValueAct manages approximately $3 billion in assets from its Boston and San Francisco offices.
"What impresses me most about the firm is the broad spectrum of strategies and tools available to the investment team, with the only mandate being to do what is best for the business," Lawrie said in a statement.
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