Oracle Acquires Primavera Corporation in USA
Oracle announced on 8 October 2008 that it has agreed to acquire Primavera Software, Inc., a leading provider of Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solutions, to accelerate its momentum in delivering mission-critical operational applications.
Primavera's PPM software helps companies propose, prioritize and select project investments, and plan, manage and control the most complex projects and project portfolios. Combined with Oracle's applications and infrastructure software, Oracle will now have a comprehensive enterprise project portfolio management solution to help companies allocate resources, reduce costs, meet delivery dates and ultimately make better decisions, all by using real-time data.
According to the Oracle press release, Oracle Enterprise PPM will be tailored to
project-intensive industries such as engineering and construction, aerospace and
defense, utilities, oil and gas, manufacturing, and professional services. Primavera employees and management are expected to join Oracle to form a global business unit (GBU) focused on Enterprise PPM, and to help ensure a smooth transition for
Primavera customers and partners.
Primavera's CEO Joel Koppelman (pictured) is expected to lead the business unit as Senior Vice President and General Manager. According to Koppelman,"As a leader in PPM solutions with over 25 years experience helping customers succeed at managing projects, programs and portfolios, Primavera is a natural addition to accelerate Oracle's application strategy for project- intensive industries. We are excited to join Oracle as a new global business unit where we can ensure continuity and success for our current and prospective customers and partners."
"Enterprise PPM is moving to the forefront of business strategy for industries managing complex and capital intensive projects, and has emerged as a global driver for value creation and business success," said Oracle President Charles Phillips. "With 20% of the world's GDP spent annually on projects, the addition of Primavera is expected to extend Oracle's leadership position in the enterprise application space."
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second half of 2008. Until the deal closes, each company will continue to operate independently. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. For more information, see
http://www.oracle.com/primavera/index.html, http://www.oracle.com/primavera/customer-letter.html and http://www.oracle.com/primavera/partner-letter.html)
Primavera is one of the world’s best known and most successful project management software and tools companies.
Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) is the world's largest enterprise software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit http://www.oracle.com/.
Top of Page
Major EPC Projects to be Discussed at ROMA 2008 - IPMA 22nd World Congress on Project Management during 9-11 November
The project management team for the 22nd IPMA World Congress on Project Management - ROMA 2008 Project Management to Run - has announced more interesting paper presentations for the November World Congress. The IPMA 22nd World Congress on Project Management will be held in Rome, Italy during 9-11 November 2008. According to the "ROMA 2008 - Project Management to Run" project team, with keynote speeches and 10 streams of presentations over three days, as many as 250 presentations on important project management topics can be anticipated. For information, visit www.ipmaroma2008.it.
The management of large engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) projects will be the subject of several presentations in Rome, including the following:
Management of a Complex EPC Project, Aromatics Plant in Kuwait; designed and constructed under exceptional market conditions, by Giovanni Sala, Tecnimont, Italy. On February 2006, Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company (KPPC) awarded the Consortium (TSK) formed by TECNIMONT S.p.A of Italy and SKEC of Korea with an over 1.2 billion USD Project for the development of a green field Project for the production of paraxylene and benzene (Aromatics Project) to be fully integrated into the Greater EQUATE Project. The contract is under execution by the consortium under the leadership of TECNIMONT S.p.A. "Time is of the essence" for all the Projects and moreover the present size of the investments requires different and multi-cultural players to be involved to meet the Owner’s requirements. Therefore the development of a custom tailored execution plan and integrated of a control/risk analysis system among the partners is a key success factor as experienced for the Aromatics Project.
Project Management of a 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant, Which were the success factors? by Giuseppi Zuccaro, Foster Wheeler Italiana, Italy. Foster Wheeler Italiana built a 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant in Teverola, Caserta, Italy. Scope of work included engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning through start-up, performances and reliability testing. Early procurement was one of the targets of the project team in consideration of vendor information being essential for the timely execution of the engineering of the plant. Another success factor was the execution of a construction study to overcome the limitations imposed by the limited accessibility and storage areas available.
The "Double Project", Project Management of a Gas Recovery Plant in Kursaniyah, Saudi Arabia, by Erasmo Valente, Technip Italy, Italy. The "Double Project", consists of a very large Gas recovery plant for Aramco (Kuraniyah, Saudi Arabia). Its execution complexity has required top class Project Management culture and expertise. Main issues/complexities faced during project implementation have been:realization of a World Scale Mega-Project (Project Value in excess of 4 Billion US $), a First Class and highly demanding Client like Aramco, a Project Execution by a Joint Venture Technip Italy and Bechtel UK with two main centres of operations. The highest Quality and Safety standards of Aramco, Bechtel and Technip Italy were extensively applied. All of the above was executed in a turbulent market environment with fully booked suppliers/manufacturers and with unpredictable price variations, with Construction Contractors unable to properly provide the necessary/qualified construction resources, facing highly complex logistics.
These and more than 200 other papers on various aspects of technical, social and commercial projects will be presented in ten different streams and a poster session. Over thirty Ministries, Universities and other leading Organizations operating in various technological fields are giving their patronage and sponsoring the event. Over 1,000 delegates are expected for the Congress, with a further 5,000 attendees visiting the exhibition. Rome's splendid conference centre, the Palazzo dei Congressi, with its comprehensive facilities, will host the Congress. Covering over 4,000 square metres of space, the exhibition to accompany the congress will be the must-attend event for the global project management industry.
The magnificent historical city of Rome with its unrivalled monuments and wonderful food will ensure attendees a stay to remember. Participants will enjoy special Social Events, including a Gala Dinner and Concert at the Parco della Musica, the outstanding musical complex designed by the worldly famous Architect Renzo Piano. For registration, schedule and other information, visit the conference website at
www.ipmaroma2008.it.
The local hosts for the ROMA 2008 World Congress are the Italian Project Management Academy and the Italian National Association of Industrial Plant Engineering (ANIMP). The President of ANIMP is Fabrizio Di Amato; the President of the Italian PM Academy is Roberto Mori; the Congress Chairman is Luigi Iperti; and the Project Manager for IPMA 2008 is PierMarco Romagnoli.
Founded in 1967 and registered in Switzerland, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is is an international federation of more than 40 national PM societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Local societies serve each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization at the international level. IPMA’s internationally acclaimed 4 Level PM Certification Programme continues to grow worldwide. The IPMA annually presents awards to teams that achieve great feats in project management. IPMA maintains its continuous presence in the global PM arena through regular International Symposia, Expert Seminars and its Annual World Congress. The president of IPMA for 2008 is Veikko Valila. Additional information is available at www.ipma.ch.
Top of Page
Exhibition Opportunities for
Project Management Companies in Madrid
Reported by Alfonso Bucero in Madrid
All Project Management companies are invited to participate in the Project Portfolio Day event that will be celebrated in Madrid on December 15th 2008 at Melia Castilla Hotel. An audience of about two hundred people is expected to attend.
You will have the unique opportunity to interact with seven international experts in an intensive day of learning, sharing and project management passion. Some worldwide and wellknown companies like Microsoft, Ten Step, Plan View, Project Connections made the decision to sponsor this Event. Be inspired, get challenged and take action.
Move forward registering your people for this event, or gain exposure being a Sponsor. Slots are still available.
Meet Dr. Ginger Levin, Randall L. Englund, Dr. Davidson J. Frame, Jim De Piante, Jean Claude Dravet, Giorgio Beghini and Alfonso Bucero who will share international experiences with the audience. We will wait for you...
For more information please visit: www.projectportfolio.com or www.abucero.com
You also can send an e-mail to: alfonso.bucero@abucero.com
Top of Page
Michelle LaBrosse to Launch Radio Show
about Project Management in USA
Cheetah Learning has announced a new radio show starring Michelle LaBrosse to be launched in the USA, beginning 4 October. According to the Cheetah news release, "There's been enough perspiration sweated out over Wall Street and the federal government over the past few weeks," says Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, and founder of Cheetah Learning. "What we need now is some inspiration that people can grab hold of and do something with."
LaBrosse is ready to provide that inspiration with the launch of a weekly radio show airing Saturdays and Sundays on WRMI 9955 kHz (terrestrial radio) beginning Oct. 4 and 5. Called "Your World Your Way," the show will be intended to inspire people to use Project Management skills to create a much better future by setting, and achieving, their personal and professional goals faster.
LaBrosse’s expertise comes from personal, as well as professional, experience. Relying on her own Project Management skills, she quickly and successfully turned her world around after putting two business failures behind her by 1999. Using Project Management principles, she grew Cheetah Learning from zero to nearly $10 million in sales in less than four years, earning a chapter in the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad Success Stories." Nearly 40,000 people have become Project Manager Professionals (PMP) after taking Cheetah’s Exam Prep. for the PMP. course and passing the Project Management Institute’s four-hour, PMP certification exam.
LaBrosse is the author of three books as well as the "Know How Network," a monthly column syndicated to some 400 outlets worldwide offering practical tips based on project management principles. A world-recognized expert, she was recently named among the most influential women in Project Management in the world by the Project Management Institute.
Those interested in hearing her weekly show, "Your World Your Way," on a local radio station should contact Walter Urban at +1-519-766-9295.
Headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, USA, with licensed training providers worldwide, Cheetah Learning is a provider of Project Management professional development services. Cheetah was founded in 1999 with the firm belief that people can reach their goals quickly with the right tools and training. Cheetah delivers courses at training centers worldwide, at client locations and online at http://www.cheetahpm.com.
Top of Page
Vendor Exhibition opens at PMI Global Congress 2008 North America
in Denver with 130+ organizations
Reported live from the PMI Global Congress 2008 - North America in Denver
The PMI Global Congress 2008 – North America opened in Denver, Colorado, USA on Sunday, 19 October 2008. The Opening General Session, highlighted by a keynote speech by General Colin Powell, was immediately followed by the traditional Grand Opening Reception in the Exhibition Hall from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m. The Exhibition once again featured booths, tables and exhibitions by many of the world’s leading suppliers of project management products and services. Participants enjoyed food, beverages, networking and product demonstrations from leading North American and international PM suppliers.
Some of the participating companies this year included:
Artemis International
AtTask
Boston University
PDUs2Go
CA, Inc.
CH2M Hill
Cheetah Learning
Compuware
Crosswind Project Management
Daptiv
Dekker Ltd.
Deltek
EPMLive
ESI International
FMC Technologies
Global Knowledge
Hewlett Packard (HP)
Human Systems
IBM
ICF International
Idaho National Lab (INL)
International Institute for Learning (IIL)
Iris Intelligence
Keller Center for Corporate Learning
LoadSpring Solutions Inc.
Management Concepts
Matchware
Microsoft Corporation
Mindjet
Oracle
Palisade
PDWare
Planisware
PlanView
PM Solutions
Primavera Systems, Inc.
Provedia Solutions
PMLG
Project Solutions Group
RMC Project Management
Robbins-Gioia
SAIC
Sciforma Corporation
Solutions Cube Group
Tenrox Corporation
TenStep Inc.
The George Washington University
The University of Texas at Dallas
University of Management & Technology
Velociteach
Watermark Learning
Westinghouse Electric
WildWorks Goup
Wiley (book publishers)
Another fifty or more firms also participated.
The reception in the vendor exhibition area was immediately followed by a reception for PMI credential holders.
The opening session and Sunday evening exhibition were attended by approximately 3,000 people. The PMI Global Congress North America, held this year in Denver, is PMI’s largest event and one of the largest PM conferences in the world each year.
Other PMI Global Congresses are held annually in the Asia Pacific Region, Europe-Middle East-Africa Region, and in Latin America. For information about the Denver congress, visit http://congresses.pmi.org/NorthAmerica2008/TheCongress/Keynote.cfm.
With more than 280,000 members in 170+ countries, the Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI®) is the largest membership association for the project management profession in the world. As a leading advocate for project management, PMI is actively engaged in setting professional standards and creating a family of professional credentials, several of which have become de facto standard certifications worldwide. PMI also provides access to project management knowledge, information, education, research and networking opportunities for individuals and organizations. Founded in the USA in 1969, PMI is now a global organization with members, chapters and offices worldwide. For additional information, visit http://www.pmi.org.
PMI® and PMP® are registered trademarks of the Project Management Institute.
Top of Page
UK project Management Firm Signs MoU to Help Expand
South Korean Energy Industry
Reported by Miles Shepherd in the UK
AMEC plc, the international engineering and project management company based in the UK, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) to develop energy-related business and projects in South Korea and internationally. The MoU is intended to help South Korea play a pivotal role in the energy economy in Asia and developing the country’s energy assets around the world including, for example, gas fields in the Middle East.
According to the AMEC news release on 24 October 2008, the three companies will work together, sharing their respective expertise to achieve mutual benefits across a wide range of energy projects. Potential projects include thermal and nuclear power, gas, coal, renewable energy and carbon reduction. The agreement will also play a part in expanding and improving South Korea’s skill base in project management consulting, enabling the partners to pursue international opportunities in that field.
AMEC is already involved in South Korea’s energy sector. The company, together with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), has a MoU in place with the Korean Power Engineering Company (KOPEC) to undertake work in the South Korean nuclear energy market. The company is advisor to the Gyeongju LILW Radwaste Repository project and, previously, it provided engineering services on the Donghae1 gas field project. Outside the energy sector, AMEC has, with Incheon City of South Korea, a 30-year concession agreement to design, build, finance and operate the Incheon Bridge, one of the world’s longest spanning cable stayed bridges, under a Public Private Finance initiative deal with the South Korean Ministry of Land, Transportation, and Maritime Affairs.
KEPCO, the Korea Electric Power Corporation, is a government-invested, integrated electric utility company in Korea. KEPCO is the only company engaged in power transmission and distribution in Korea. In addition, KEPCO generates approximately 94% of total electricity produced in Korea through its wholly-owned six generation subsidiaries (“GENCOs”). KEPCO spun off its generation sector and established six GENCOs in 2001 in accordance with the government's restructuring plan in the power industry.
KOGAS, the Korea Gas Corporation, was established by the Korean government in 1983 and has now grown to become the world's largest LNG importer. As the nation's sole LNG provider, KOGAS is fully committed to providing clean, safe, and convenient energy to its people. In keeping with this promise, KOGAS now operates three LNG terminals and a nationwide pipeline network spanning 2,720km ensuring a stable supply for the nation. KOGAS imports LNG from around the world and supplies it to power generation plants, gas-utility companies and city gas companies throughout the country. KOGAS produces and supplies natural gas, purifies and sells gas-related by-products, builds and operates production facilities and distribution network, and explores, imports and exports natural gas for domestic and overseas markets.
AMEC Plc is a supplier of high-valued consultancy, engineering and project management services to the world’s energy, power and process industries. With annual revenues of over 2.3 billion, AMEC designs, delivers and maintains strategic and complex assets for its customers. AMEC employs approximately 22,000 people in more than 30 countries globally. Based in the UK, the company’s shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. (LSE: AMEC.L). Visit www.amec.com.
Top of Page
Microsoft Spain Platinum Sponsor for "The Project Portfolio Day"
Reported by Alfonso Bucero in Madrid
Microsoft Spain is sponsoring "THE PROJECT PORTFOLIO DAY" as a main Sponsor. Microsoft that sells Project Portfolio Management Solutions, supports their Solution partners to penetrate into the market and be successful. On December 15th about two hundred professionals will meet at MELIA CASTILLA HOTEL in Madrid (Spain).
You will have the opportunity to learn, share and interact with seven international experts about project Portfolio Management. Other worldwide and well known companies like Artemis, Ten Step, Plan View, and Project Connections made the decision to sponsor this Event. Be inspired, get challenged and take action is the "motto" for this Symposium.
Meet Dr. Ginger Levin, Randall L. Englund, Dr. Davidson J. Frame, Jim De Piante, Jean Claude Dravet, Giorgio Beghini and Alfonso Bucero who will share international experiences with the audience. We will wait for you...
For more information please visit: www.projectportfolioday.com or www.abucero.com
You also can send an e-mail to: alfonso.bucero@abucero.com
PMForum Named Media Partner for Project Portfolio Day Event in Spain
Reported by Alfonso Bucero in Madrid
PM Forum has been named Media Partner for the "Project Portfolio Day Event". That event is being organized by BUCERO PM Consulting in Madrid at MELIA CASTILLA HOTEL on December 15th, 2008. The event, one day long, will be focused on "Project Portfolio practice", and it will count on seven international experts and practitioners who will be able to interact with all attendees.
This event will provide a unique opportunity to meet international experts in an intensive day of learning, sharing and project management passion. Some well known companies like Microsoft, Ten Step, PlanView, Project Connections and others are sponsoring this Event.
Dr. Ginger Levin, Randall L. Englund, Dr. Davidson J. Frame, Jim De Piante, Jean Claude Dravet, Giorgio Beghini and Alfonso Bucero will be the speakers. These speakers will share international experiences with the audience. For more information please visit www.abucero.com or send an e-mail to alfonso.bucero@abucero.com.
Established in 1995, www.pmforum.org was the world’s first website devoted to professional project management and is now one of the world’s most popular sources of project management news and information. PMForum is a company formed to administer and grow the pmforum.org website. PMForum also produces the monthly online PM World Today eJournal; free subscriptions are available at www.pmworldtoday.net. PMForum’s media partnership program offers opportunities for organizers of major PM events to receive additional visibility and publicity; examples of PMForum media coverage can be found at http://www.pmforum.org/events/partner_program.htm.
Shepell-fgi Wins Prestigious Award for Project Management
Shepell-fgi has announced that it has been awarded the Canadian Project Excellence ("CPEX") award in Leadership Excellence. The Leadership Award recognizes outstanding leadership and sponsorship that results in improved project results and enhanced organizational productivity. Shepell-fgi's Continuous Improvement Initiative won the award because it positively and radically changes the mind-set of all employees, from the frontline to senior leadership.
"Continuous improvement starts with employees, a simple idea or suggestion, and together we create a culture of continuous improvement – one in which quality is everyone's job, every day in everything we do," said Rod Phillips, President and CEO. "The project's objectives stretch across the entire organization, recognizing the expansiveness and importance of all stakeholders."
This award strengthens Shepell-fgi's position as a world-class leader in health and productivity solutions. "The Continuous Improvement Initiative is built on a foundation of cross-disciplinary collaboration," said Rita Fridella Senior Vice President of Operations.
"By acting in cross-disciplinary groups the organization is better able to picture how work affects the work of colleagues and the experiences of our customers and clients. Working together and sharing the expertise of people in different areas of the business leads to fresh ideas that couldn't occur within single units."
Eric Acker, Chief Operating Officer added, "We are pleased to be recognized by CPEX as a project visionary within the Project Management industry. Our team has worked very hard to build and implement this successful project."
The Canadian Project Excellence Awards (CPEX) is an annual competition that recognizes project achievements, which demonstrate the highest degree of merit and ingenuity. For more than 30 years, hundreds of firms have entered their most proud achievements in international competitions. You have the opportunity to bring public attention to the outstanding projects delivered by Canadian firms by entering the Canadian Project Excellence Awards. The Canadian Project Excellence Awards is a joint collaboration between private industry and government agencies. The 2008 CPEX Conference and Awards event was held in Toronto during 7-8 October 2008. Visit http://www.cpex.ca/index.php.
Shepell-fgi is a Canadian provider of workplace health and productivity services, including prevention-focused Employee Assistance Programs, Health and Disability Management, Organizational Health and Global Services. The company services over six million employees and their families across Canada, the United States and internationally. Shepell-fgi helps organizations maintain healthy employees and healthy workplaces. For more information please visit www.shepellfgi.com.
ProjectWizards' Merlin Wins MacUser 08 Award!
Reported by Manfred Rieck in Wiesbaden, Germany
ProjectWizards has announced that Merlin 2.5, their project management application designed for the Macintosh operating system, has won the MacUser's 2008 Readers Awards in the Business Software of the Year category.
"We're delighted to have won," says ProjectWizards’ CEO Frank Blome. "Once again we are honoured the Mac community has chosen Merlin."
MacUser 08 readers voted in July and August 2008 for the best Mac products in several categories, including Audio of the Year, Graphics Software of the Year, and Reseller of the Year. According to the ProjectWizards news release on 28 October, Merlin, the only project management software entered, beat out all competitors.
Information about the MacUser 08 awards can be found at http://www.macuser.co.uk/awards2008/gallery.html.
A free demo version of Merlin can be downloaded at www.projectwizards.net.
ProjectWizards is a Melle, Germany-based project management consultancy that has combined its projects consulting experience and Macintosh development expertise to create Merlin 2.5, professional project management software designed for the Macintosh operating system. For more information, visit www.projectwizards.net.
|
