Chuck Rozwat's resignation announcement

This is reputed to be the text of the e-mail Chuck Rozwat sent out to the company yesterday (7/14) morning, announcing his departure from Oracle.

Subject: Time for a change
From: Charles Rozwat
To: crozwat_org_ww@oracle.com
CC: [CC list redacted]

It is time for a change. After 15 years at Oracle (following 17 years at Digital Equipment) in software development, I have decided it is time for me to step away from my current role and broaden my knowledge and skills in another dimension. As of August 1st, I will be leaving my current position and taking a 12 month leave of absence to study public policy at Harvard University. Thomas Kurian will be assuming responsibility for overall Product Development.

I will take the next twelve months to gain a perspective different from my years developing software as part of the high tech, private sector world. I have accepted admission to a 1 year Masters program in Public Administration, at the Kennedy School of Government, which I begin this September. This program, designed for established, international leaders from both the public and private sector, will allow me to study a number of the issues that face public/private enterprise at a time when almost every policy area is being reevaluated. I look forward to a year from now, to see how I can add value to Oracle with an additional set of skills and an enhanced perspective.

This has been a long-considered and difficult decision in many respects, but one thing is extremely clear. The future is brighter than ever for Oracle. We are at the beginning of a new product cycle, with major new products and versions in Database 11gR2, FMW 11gR1/2, Enterprise Manager, Exadata V2, our Collaboration and Integration products and all of our Applications, now including Fusion. With the pending acquisition of Sun, we add yet another dimension.

The Oracle leadership team is the strongest it has ever been. I extend my thanks to every member of the Executive Committee and their teams for their support of our product efforts. It is impossible for me to express my gratitude to Larry for what his overall product guidance has meant to the product development organization and also the life changing experience it has been for me to be allowed to be part of his team. I thank Charles and Safra, not only for the skills and success they have brought to their roles, but also the support and direction they have brought to our product efforts.

I thank you for your commitment to our mission and your excellence in building and integrating the greatest software products in the industry. I also thank you for your personal support. Since joining Oracle as the head of our first "major" acquisition, I have been amazed by the talent and dedication of our people. We are the best Software Development organization on the planet. We have delivered the most functional, industry-leading products across all major enterprise software categories. You can be proud that the world runs on the products we have built. The world runs on Oracle.

Chuck