Another Defection at CA

CA(CA) said Monday that its chief financial officer resigned "under mutual agreement" with the company. Former Dell(DELL) executive Robert Davis will be succeeded on an interim basis by Robert Cirabisi, the controller.

Davis' departure comes a week after the company's chief technology officer, Mark Barrenechea, left CA to joint a venture-capital company. Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke left for a position at Cendant(CD) on April 18. Later that month, the company reported fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that badly missed Wall Street forecasts due to weak products sales and ballooning sales commissions.

Also in April, the company's former chief executive pleaded guilty to fraud and obstruction charges related to an accounting scandal in 2000 and 2001. Sanjay Kumar left the company in June 2004.

"When we began the task of transforming CA, we knew that we would encounter many challenges and understood that in an undertaking of this scale and scope, changes were to be expected," CA CEO John Swainson said in a statement. "Eighteen months into the process, it is clear that although we still have a way to go, we have made progress. We are confident in our strategy and in the priorities we have identified to bring that strategy to life. The mission for the year ahead is to improve our execution. The management team and I are committed to doing just that."

Davis will stay with the company for a brief period to assist in an orderly transition. "The company thanks Davis for his contributions and wishes him well in his future endeavors," CA said.

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