Sold

Just before going to bed last evening I checked email one last time. In the "High Priority" section of my mailbox was a note from the President of my Division at IBM.

IBM (NYSE:IBM - News) and Dassault Systèmes (DS) (Paris:DSY - News) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today signed an agreement under which DS intends to acquire IBM sales and client support operations encompassing DS's Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software application portfolio, as well as customer contracts and related assets, for approximately $600 million in cash.

DS and IBM have also defined the next steps in their long-standing relationship, and plan to establish DS as an IBM Global Alliance Partner and expand their services partnership.

The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2010, subject to the execution of local agreements and completion of regulatory processes and applicable labor relations requirements in various countries.

So, on March 31st, 2010 I will be retired from IBM and join Dassault Systemes.

Life is exciting.