Jive Preps For IPO; Facebook, Google

Much attention has been focused on fast growing consumer social networking names just as Facebook and LinkedIn, nevertheless Jive is bringing social networking and collaboration to the business context-a space that has the potential to be such as big. Jive's cloud-based collaboration and communication tools for the enterprise are not a passing fad, DeWalt said. In its turn, McAfee is now rolling out Jive's Web-based tools across the company.

"Social business platforms are here forever," DeWalt said. "They're coming to the enterprise in a big way. Whoever wins the business platform will have the framework that underlies all applications and will have a massive multi-billion dollar possibility SAP, Oracle and other incumbents don’t have these solutions. You have a company like Jive with a real interesting possibility in the market to be a key mainstream type of company."

Facebook's Heiliger, like the other new board members, is joining as an individual and not representing his company. Nevertheless, Heiliger's move is interesting–having a top Facebook executive on Jive's board sends a message. Facebook is the leader in consumer-based social networking and Heiliger's picking a winner for social and collaboration in the enterprise. Jive's business is "in effect a new market developing," he said.

Sundar Pichai, who managed the development of Google's Chrome OS and Chrome browser, said in spite of his focus on consumer products, research-wise his work centers on cloud computing, which is a crucial part of Jive's operations. Jive's web-based business tools have to be available and running 24/7 for global businesses.

Google itself has a number of products it sells to enterprises just as its Google Apps Marketplace, Gmail and Google Docs. Nevertheless Pichai emphasized that Jive is "very complementary" to Google in the enterprise. And Jive works with Google on the Apps Marketplace, the Chrome browser and other innovation, Zingale said. Pichai’s expertise in these mass market products should be useful for Jive.

[...] Jive Preps For IPO; Facebook, Google, McAfee Execs On BoardForbesThe new additions are Charles Robel, former chairman of the board of McAfee, which is now part of Intel; David DeWalt, president of McAfee; Jonathan Heiliger, vice president of technical operations at Facebook; and Sundar Pichai, vice president of …Jive board adds Google, Facebook execsBizjournals.comJive taps Facebook, Google for expert helpSeattle Post IntelligencerJive Taps Google, Facebook Execs for BoardeWeekWebProNews -San Francisco Business Times -PR Newswireall 26 news articles » Categories: Facebook News 30 March 2011 at 16:21 – Comments [...]