Software Futures will not be bought out, says MD

The name Software Futures has been resurrected in what has been described as a marketing exercise by MGX.

The MGX software development division, which still largely consists of former Software Futures employees, has been rebranded Software Futures in what MD Derek Hughes describes as marketing positioning.

"MGX as a whole found it difficult to come up with a single core statement on what the business of the group is, due to the diversity of what we do," he says. Software development, it was decided, should be presented under a separate brand.

Hughes cites two main reasons for the choice of Software Futures specifically: the residual brand value attached to the name, which was only recently removed from the market, and the fact that it "perfectly describes the business we are in".

Software Futures was absorbed into CCH after an acquisition, and Software Futures head Aletha Ling subsequently became CEO of CCH.

The merger between MGX and CCH has been dogged by rumours of integration problems between the companies, which are said to have very different cultures. Software Futures is operationally independent from MGX as a 100%-owned subsidiary, but Hughes says there is no chance of a management buy-out.

"Absolutely not. The shareholding is the same as it was in the past and it will remain that way."

Hughes says the company now comprises around 500 people, 90% of which came out of the CCH software business. The company now operates in three other countries, the US, Britain and Australia, but plans to maintain its development base in SA.