Mandriva restructures to establish European leadership

Mandriva is one of the cornerstones of Open Source, a technological pioneer offering the sole independent Linux distribution on the European market. Nevertheless the company has been faced with a mounting financial challenge for several years due in part to its size and lack of a clear publishing strategy.

Mandriva also plays a strategic role in the Paris Saclay innovative ecosystem centred on the Pole System@tic Paris Region and Cap Digital. The company is involved in a dozen R&D projects in partnership with some 60 research and industrial laboratories working on themes such as the semantic desktop, Linux Real Time distribution, shared infrastructures or cloud computing.

This explains why a group of entrepreneurs, associated with the founding investor, has drawn up an ambitious industrial plan with the aim of relaunching the company. Mandriva finds itself at the heart of a European assembly of Open Source software players: IF Research (France), parent company of the publisher Wallix; Lightapp (UK), and Pingwin Soft (Russia's Open Source leader).
At the heart of this strategy, Mandriva Linux will be distributed exclusively by a sales and integrated IT network, as well through an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the EMEA (European and Middle East) and BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) zones.

A professional offer aimed at the major business markets (Education, Industry, Services, Retail) will meet the demands of clients seeking alternative and economic options in the field of heterogenous IT systems management. This offer will be unveiled in the second half of 2010.
In the meantime, and in the short term, Mandriva has begun a drastic programme of structural cost-cutting as well as raising funds to redress the financial balance and assure the long-term future of the company. Negotiations are undrerway with new investors who will be presented at the company's next general board meeting.

Mandriva has already welcomed two new board members - Jean-Noël de Galzain, President of IF Research and Wallix, Vice-President PME of Pôle System@tic Paris Région, and Bertrand Glineur, formerly DSI of Crédit Foncier de France, and member of the GCE business board. Their goal is to help the management team set up by Mandriva CEO Arnaud Laprévote to complete the restructuring and implement the new strategy which will be revealed in detail at Mandriva's next Board Meeting.

« By bringing together IF Research and Mandriva, two highly complementary units, Mandriva will be able to strengthen its strategic position, » explained Mandriva CEO Arnaud Laprévote.
« Mandriva possesses in its DNA all the requisites of an Open Source world leader. A community of 3.5 million users, a leading position in the BRIC zone, and prestigious clients in both the public sector and major business, » stressed Jean-Noël de Galzain, President of IF Research. « We are going to focus on the company management and promoting a new, dynamic commercial activity based on innovative products offered on a new distribution network. »

Mandriva will shortly launch its latest distribution: Mandriva Linux Spring 2010, which can be downloaded from the Mandriva site http://www.mandriva.com

About Mandriva

Mandriva, formerly known as Mandrakesoft, is the publisher of Mandriva Linux, an easy-to-use and innovative operating system. It is one of the most popular Linux editions in the world. Dedicated to making open source technologies accessible to all users, the company offers a full range of products and services to individuals, enterprises and government organizations. Mandriva products are available online in 80 languages and in more than 140 countries through dedicated channels. Headquartered in Paris, France, the company is publicly traded on the Euronext Marche Libre.

More information at : www.mandriva.com

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