Ray Lane resigns as Oracle president, COO

NEW YORK: Oracle Corp., the world's second-biggest software maker, said on

Friday that Ray Lane resigned as president and chief operating officer.

Oracle spokeswoman Jennifer Glass declined to comment on why Lane was leaving

his post.

"I am grateful to Ray for all of his efforts," Oracle chief

executive Larry Ellison said in a statement. "He will be missed. We wish

him nothing but the best."

Glass said Lane's departure had nothing to do with the news earlier this week

that Oracle had a hired a private detective agency to investigate allies and

groups that support Microsoft Corp., the world's biggest software firm.

Oracle has been a high-flyer in the technology sector for the past 18 months

but Wall Street analysts have recently questioned whether the company, the

world's biggest maker of database software, has already seen its best days.

The company said Lane would remain on the Oracle board of directors.

Shares of Oracle rose 3-3/16 to close at 84-1/16 on Friday on the Nasdaq

stock market. The stock has traded in a range between 17-5/16 and 90 in the past

year.

(C) Reuters Limited 2000.