Critical Path, Inc.

Last updated
Critical Path, Inc.
Company type Privately held company
Industry Software
Founded1997
Fate Acquired by Openwave Messaging (December 4, 2013) [1]
Headquarters Dublin, Ireland
Key people
Mark Palomba, CEO and Chairman
Tim Noel, CFO
Barry Twohig, EVP of Engineering
ProductsMobile Software
Messaging Software
Anti-Abuse Software
Identity Management Software
Revenue$66.963 million USD (2005)
Number of employees
331

Critical Path is a provider of messaging services, working in partnerships with mobile operators, telecommunications companies, ISPs, and enterprises. It was acquired on December 4, 2013, by Openwave Messaging and is now headed by Openwave Messaging President and CEO, Joe Campbell. [1] [2] [3] On March 2, 2016, it was announced that Synchronoss Technologies agreed to acquire Openwave Messaging. [4]

Contents

History

Critical Path, Inc. was founded in 1997 by David C. Hayden [5] and Wayne de Geere III [6] as a provider of outsourced email service to ISPs. In 1998 they hired a new CEO, Doug Hickey and acquired Usenet provider Supernews. The company went public on March 29, 1999. The IPO was covered favorably by the trade press at the time. [7] In early 2001, nearly two years after their IPO, a series of lawsuits against Critical Path were filed over hiring practices, accounting irregularities, and securities fraud, [8] [9] culminating in a management shakeup and SEC action against the company's President, David Thatcher, and other executives. [10] Thatcher and two others pleaded guilty and were sentenced to jail terms from three months to one year. [11] In 2005 their stock was delisted by Nasdaq. [12]

In 2007 the company went private [12] and in 2008 sold Supernews to Giganews. [13]

In October 2010, Critical Path and Mirapoint, a secure enterprise messaging company, announced their decision to merge. [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 “Openwave Messaging Makes Add-On Play for Critical Path” Archived 2013-12-13 at the Wayback Machine , Dow Jones, New York, NY, 5 December 2013. Retrieved on 5 December 2013.
  2. ↑ “Critical Path Acquired By Openwave Messaging”, Silicon Tap, San Jose, CA, 5 December 2013. Retrieved on 5 December 2013.
  3. ↑ “Marlin Equity Partners seals Critical Path deal”, Thomson Reuters, New York, NY, 5 December 2013. Retrieved on 5 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Synchronoss Technologies to Acquire Openwave Messaging" . Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "The search continues for David Colby Hayden". mtexpress.com. 2019-10-25. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  6. ↑ "Critical Errors at Critical Path". BusinessWeek.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  7. ↑ "Losing a Virtual Fortune - Page 2 - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 2002-05-02. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  8. ↑ Chris Nolan. "Inside Look: Critical Path Suits". Wired. Wired.com. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  9. ↑ "Critical Path executives leave, lawsuits pile up - CNET News". News.cnet.com. 2001-02-13. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  10. ↑ "Complaint: SEC v. David A. Thatcher and Timothy J. Ganley". Sec.gov. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  11. ↑ "Former execs of SF's Critical Path software company sentenced". SFGate. 2004-01-14. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  12. 1 2 "Critical Path Goes Private". silicontap.com. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  13. ↑ "S.F.-Based Critical Path Sells SuperNews Usenet Business to Giganews". Silicon Valley Wire. 2008-03-07. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  14. ↑ "Mirapoint and Critical Path to Merge". October 19, 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
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