CA brings in latest CFO

Software giant CA has announced the appointment of its latest CFO, Nancy Cooper - the fifth person to fill the role in just over two-and-a-half years.

A rapid turnaround of short-term and interim CFOs, including former Dell exec Robert Davis and Jeff Clarke, who was promoted to COO at CA before leaving in April 2006, began with the sacking in October 2003 of Ira Zar who has subsequently pleaded guilty to his part in securities fraud at CA.

As such, the latest appointment of a new CFO at CA is likely to attract a little more focus than similar industry announcements as Cooper joins at a time when CA looks to finally move on from long-running troubles with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), now largely put to rest.

John Swainson, CEO of CA, said in a statement: "Nancy has broad experience as a CFO in the software industry and with public companies. She brings an exemplary combination of business judgment, professional skills and integrity to CA."

Cooper joins CA from IMS Health, having previously served at IBM for 22 years between 1976 and 1998.

Last November in an interview with silicon.com, Swainson denied that filling top jobs at CA with former IBM colleagues was a deliberate strategy.

Swainson told silicon.com: "It's not true to say I've consciously been back to IBM," yet Cooper is now the latest in a growing list of senior execs at the software giant to have come from the corridors of Big Blue where Swainson served for 26 years.