EPiServer has just been purchased and all of us, whether fans, competitors or customers are wondering how things will pan out. To explain — the buyer is IK Investment Partners a private equity firm. The announcement can be found here. My thoughts go something like:

Pros: hands-off management style from IK

Cons: short-term profit imperatives may compromise longer-term technology aspirations

The latter may be due to pressure created by business managers chasing stretch-targets, driven by the promise of big bonuses. For clarity, I have no problem with the idea of companies creating wealth but it's interesting to analyse what works and what doesn't for all concerned — prospects (the pipeline), customers, staff, analysts, investors and executive managers.

Prospects, customers and staff all need to know there's no plans to deviate from the current technology trajectory. Products, services and jobs are all in safe hands!

Analysts will look for insights and angles; new strengths, new weaknesses, new threats.

The challenge for managers and investors is to build confidence and trust with all these audiences. Simultaneously! And it's this challenge that gives rise to competing imperatives.

To illustrate my concerns and personal experience (Immediacy purchased by Mediasurface) I'd point to the observations of Paul Moore, HBOS Whistleblower where he said: "I feel genuinely sorry that people who are so senior are so unable to see things as ordinary people see them." And in this article he's reported to have said: "I told them their sales culture was significantly out of balance with their systems and controls"

Comparing these two statements it would appear the understanding of what was wrong with HBOS was widely understood by many inside the organisation. Their sales culture caused even basic risk analysis to be ignored.

It's my hope that EPiServer grows evenly; that their technical, strategic, sales and communications abilities grow evenly. Be profitable, look after the shareholders but guys, don't get bent out of shape by a single-minded profit imperative.