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Specialist IBM technology provider Rocket Software has acted on plans to increase capabilities across Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ), through the acquisition of Perth-based Fundi Software.
Headquartered in Massachusetts, US, Rocket helps businesses in the IBM ecosystem build solutions to modernise and develop applications.
Meanwhile, Fundi is a software development company and one of the leading providers of tools for IBM Information Management System (IMS) and Customer Information Control System (CICS) technologies.
Established in 1982, the business operates as an IBM development partner, with customers across key verticals such as finance, aviation and mining, in addition to government, retail and healthcare.
The acquisition also includes Fundi’s US-based affiliate, Circle Software, with plans in place to maintain development operations in Western Australia.
“We are delighted to welcome Fundi and Circle to the Rocket family,” said Joe Devlin, CTO of Rocket Software. “Fundi’s robust products will expand our technology reach and enable us to accelerate innovation for mainframe customers everywhere.”
Devlin said Rocket will build upon the “depth and breadth” of Fundi products and create new experiences for customers who depend on the mainframe to run mission critical business applications.
Furthermore, the acquisition follows the launch of Zowe, the first open source project for z/OS under the Linux Foundation’s Open Mainframe Project.
Rocket is a founding member and a primary contributor to the Zowe project with plans underway to "Zowe-enable the Fundi products".
“I am excited to have Fundi join the Rocket family at the same time we are launching Zowe,” Devlin added. “Together we will broaden the utility of mainframes and expand their role as the platform of choice for major organisations that rely on modern, open, fast, secure compute.”
As reported by ARN, Rocket already has a healthy line-up of customers locally, having worked with Qantas, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Northern Territory Government, and NSW Police for almost 15 years.
In response to increase demand for the company’s mainframe and IBM i modernisation portfolio, a “strategic decision” was made in August to increase footprint on both sides of the Tasman.
Specifically, Chip Salyards - vice president of international sales at Rocket Software - has assumed an expanded role to manage Asia Pacific and A/NZ businesses.
Salyards led the region for BMC Software from 2008 to 2015, and is joined by three senior executives locally.
They include Liam Leaney as new channel lead for A/NZ, joining the provider from VMware, alongside Keith Garelja - formerly a sales manager at IBM Australia - as senior account executive.
Furthermore, Paul Lin has joined as senior channel manager for Southeast Asia, having previously held senior positions at both BT and Cisco.
From a channel perspective, Rocket partners with value-added resellers, system integrators and independent software vendors (ISVs), in addition to distribution.
