CA replaces chairman Kumar

NEW YORK: Kenneth Cron has agreed to be software maker, Computer Associates International's interim chief executive, the Wall Street Journal said.

Sanjay Kumar resigned as chairman and chief executive officer earlier this week amid federal investigations into a $1.4 billion accounting scandal. Kumar, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, will remain with the company as chief software architect, a newly created position.

Four former finance executives, including a former chief financial officer, pleaded guilty to criminal charges during the long-running probes.

The announcement of Cron's appointment may not come immediately for "personal reasons", the Journal said, in a story that cites people familiar with the matter.

CA said on Wednesday it named Lewis Ranieri chairman.

Cron, an outside director at CA, was most recently the chief executive of Vivendi Universal SA's games division, the Journal said.

A two-person board panel will direct the search for Kumar's permanent replacement and the hiring of an executive search company is expected to happen next week, the story said.

A Computer Associates representative could not be immediately reached for comment by Reuters.

© Reuters