HP OpenView exec moves to rival BMC

Jim Grant, the general manager of HP's OpenView software business, has left the company to take over the Remedy subsidiary of rival BMC Software.

Grant will lead BMC's Remedy group, which sells software for running help desks, where technicians in call centers keep track of customer support issues. BMC acquired Remedy from Peregrine Systems in November 2002.

"This looks like a win for BMC and a loss for HP," said RedMonk analyst James Governor. "BMC has been steadily strengthening its management bench over the last couple of years, and this is a very good addition to the team."

BMC and OpenView specialize in management software that keeps track of computing equipment, alerting administrators of problems and in more sophisticated installations, automatically responding to changing computing demands.

At HP, Todd DeLaughter will fill in as interim general manager of OpenView, said HP spokeswoman Rebeca Robboy. DeLaughter, who came to HP through its merger with Compaq Computer, had been working on strategic planning and operational management for the OpenView group.

Grant, a 20-year HP veteran, has overseen recent OpenView initiatives such as software to manage Java and .Net applications and its work to build computing infrastructure that can adapt to changing workload demands.