A few weeks ago, we published Why Smart Vertica Decisions Lead to Smarter Migrations.
Our advice then was straightforward: plan ahead, don’t wait for events to force your hand.
Well, this week, a big event happened.
What happened at OpenText?
According to CIO.com and CRN, OpenText — Vertica’s parent company — announced:
- The sudden departure of Mark J. Barrenechea from his roles as CEO, CTO and Vice Chairman
- James McGourlay appointed as Interim CEO
- Savinay Berry stepping into the CTO role
- P. Thomas Jenkins taking the new role of Executive Chair and Chief Strategy Officer, while leading a formal CEO search
- A strategic portfolio review to “focus on core business” (information management for AI) and explore divestiture of non-core assets
This follows a reported 10% year-over-year revenue drop, with 7% of that from a recent divestiture.
What could this mean for Vertica customers?
Let’s be candid: No one outside the OpenText boardroom knows exactly where Vertica will land in this “core vs. non-core” shuffle. But the announcement makes one thing clear — the board wants to turn your long term investment into their short term profit.
If Vertica is labeled non-core, it could be sold or reshaped to suit new owners. If it stays, expect the roadmap to serve OpenText's agenda — not necessarily yours.
And while ownership changes aren’t inherently bad — they can bring fresh capital, sharper focus and new partnerships — they also bring risk: leadership churn, product roadmap changes, shifting support models and the occasional “version freeze” while strategy catches up.
In other words: if you thought the last game of ownership musical chairs was over, you might want to keep your seatbelt on.
Why proactive beats reactive
Waiting to see how this plays out is a strategy… just not the kind we’d recommend if Vertica is critical to your business. The most prepared organizations are:
- Mapping out migration options now — while timelines are their own
- Testing alternative platforms for performance, scalability and AI-readiness
- Securing internal alignment so they can make quick, confident moves if change accelerates
This isn’t about panic. It’s about avoiding the 3 a.m. “we need a new plan by Monday” moment.
A smarter path forward
Whether Vertica stays under OpenText’s wing or finds a new home, you have an opportunity now to strengthen your analytics strategy:
- Demand real-time capabilities
- Reduce operational complexity
- Ensure future-proof scalability for AI and mission-critical workloads
- Build on a platform with a clear, stable growth vision
Because while you can’t control the music in the ownership game, you can decide whether you’re standing when the music stops.
If you’d like to explore how to de-risk your Vertica strategy — and build a high-performance, AI-ready analytics layer without losing a beat — our team can help you plan it before the market forces you to.
