For three years, he has worked to bring Sybase Corp., the Emeryville-based maker of business software, into the circle of powerhouse businesses like Microsoft, Oracle and PeopleSoft. For the most part, he has succeeded greatly. The firm's stock performance has landed it a spot on the New York Stock Exchange. But Sybase has to fight the giants now. It threw down the gauntlet in February, buying New Era of Networks Inc., a Denver-based maker of integration software, a field dominated by firms like IBM and BEA Systems.
Business needs to be measured by profits.
I also read a lot. I always like people to respect me for competence and for knowing what I'm doing. I don't need to be loved, and I'm a terrible cheerleader. It's enjoyable to sneak up on people, especially a competitor. We now operate in 30-plus countries, and my schedules are out of control.