The exodus at Novell Inc continues as chief executive Eric Schimdt tries to mold the company around his strategies and meets out blame for the networking software giant’s decline. Top of the list is longtime CFO and EVP Jim Tolonen, who is rumored to be ready to leave the Salt Lake City, Utah-based company. Tolonen has been with Novell since 1989. A Novell spokesman said there was no official announcement due to be made about Tolonen and that the company would not comment on rumors and speculation. Novell did confirm however, that Vic Langford, Novell’s senior vice president of Internet strategies, left the company at the end of June. Although Lanford resigned to continue pursue other options out side the company. It seems that Langford position became difficult as restructuring at Novell introduced by Schmidt. A Novell spokesperson suggested that Langford will not be replaced. Eric Schmidt has taken a more direct role in Novell’s internet strategy and there has been a consolidation of internet products into main server platform products and Intranetware, he said. Langford had been charged with spearheading the company’s Internet game plan and his position within the company is thought to have waned since Schmidt joined the company. Last month, Eric Schmidt said he would recruit a couple of new executives to replace president and COO Joe Marengi, who quit following the companies poor second quarter results, but that he would keep the majority of the senior team.
