Gary Greenfield, the Avid chairman and chief executive who shut down the UK source of the essential musical tool Sibelius software, has ‘voluntarily’ left his jobs with a multi-million dollar payoff.
Greenfield’s high-handed actions last year led to the entire sacked Sibelius team joining up with arch-rivals Steinberg to found a new London research and development base. Gary’s gone Sibelius lives on.
Dear Mr Lebrecht,
Been reading your stories – I think Twitter needs you,
Best wishes
Jennifer James
@msjenniferjames
Thank Goodness – Sibelius is one of the main tools of composers working today – anything that endangers its existence is an act of censorship (ownership is no excuse) Lets hope they reinstate the UK office. James x
Good riddance. Close the door as you leave…
As a composer I am thrilled to hear that Sibelius will continue on — and I also will be pleased to hear of the re-hiring of the staff who created this magnificent program!
There’s no chance of the original development team being re-hired: we are all now working on a new product for Steinberg, and none of us would have any desire to go back to Avid even if we were to be asked (which is extremely unlikely in any case).
Dear Mr. Spreadbury,
Can you comment on the likelihood that Avid will sell back Sibelius to the Finn brothers, or whether your Steinberg project could involve a similar (“re-”) acquisition?
The CEO resigning two weeks before the announcement of the 2012 financial statements is a BAD sign – meaning the figures are probably a lot worse than the board could even imagine (they have those figures by now). In all likeliness Greenberg either threw in the towel himself or was asked to step down. I wish Avid no ill but it’s good to have someone new at the helm, though in reality we will have to wait and see if it is going to change anything. If Avid really goes down the drain maybe Yamaha / Steinberg can pick up the pieces (notably Sibelius). We’d have Daniel and his team back, and it would save Steinberg a lot of time developing something new. Wouldn’t that be something? (Speculation machine running in high gear
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As part of his ‘punishment’, Gary Greenfield will still get paid his whole annual basic pre-bonus salary of $1m and will remain on the board of directors, effectively just playing musical chairs in the Avid boardroom. If that’s the measure of abject failure, I can’t imagine how much one would have to pay for success.
Since his successor has lavished praise on Mr Greenfield’s “outstanding contribution to Avid”, it’s in effect no more of a regime change than when Mr Putin oscillates between being president and being prime minister of Russia.
Avid would be a nice acquisition for Apple.
Wade Lance, I like that… who do we write to, to let them know what a good idea that is?
I like it too – good idea to write Apple – sounds like the former Avid techs are a bit disillusioned with Avid – what a shame to lose them!