Sybase to remain independent under SAP

SAP's Australian president expects the enterprise software giant's $6.5 billion acquisition of mobile software specialists Sybase, announced earlier today, to give his company an edge over rival Oracle in providing customers with access to mobile business management programs.

Speaking at the Sybase Summit in Sydney this morning, president and managing director of SAP Australia & New Zealand Tim Ebbeck said the deal is being viewed by both companies as more of a "partnership" than an acquisition.

He said that the deal would enable new disruptive technology and enhance current collaborative products - such as the Sybase Mobile Workflow for SAP business suite.

"Mobility and orchestration are at the heart of SAP's strategy going forward," he said. "Quarter three will see us extend SAP solutions to BlackBerry."

He said that each company would not change their established road maps, except to allow for co-innovation and cross-collaboration.

Sybase senior product manager Bryan Whitmarsh told iTnews that the company would continue to operate independently under SAP's ownership.

"There will be greater integration between Sybase and SAP solutions - that's going to be the main difference," he said.

"It's great news for SAP customers who will gain access to more mobility."

The acquisition is the second largest in SAP's history and the largest decision made so far by SAP CEOs Bill McDermott and Jim Hagemann Snabe, who have lead the company since February 2010.