More Executive Shakeups At Sun in Wake Of Microsoft Deal

One Sun Microsystems executive is leaving the company and another has been promoted in the wake of the company's unprecedented news blitz Friday.

Rich Green, vice president of developer tools, is exiting Sun after 14 years for a new opportunity at a software company, according to a Sun spokeswoman.

The spokeswoman said Green timed his departure with the completion of Sun's negotiations to end the Java war with Microsoft, which the company unveiled Friday. She said Green was not leaving because he was passed over as Jonathan Schwartz's successor or because he is upset over the deal between Sun and Microsoft. Schwartz was named president and COO on Friday.

"[Green] had tendered his resignation long before any of the other executive changes at Sun last week," she said.

In the short term, Chris Atwood, director of engineering, Java tools, will take over the Java developer platform and tools group until a permanent successor to Green is named.

Green was instrumental in contributing to the development of Java and in negotiating Friday's landmark $1.6 billion settlement between Microsoft and Sun that ended litigation between the two companies over Java licensing and antitrust issues.

In other Sun executive changes, John Loiacono has been named executive vice president of software, effective immediately, the company said early Monday. Loiacono is replacing Schwartz. Previously, Loiacono ran Sun's Solaris and Linux business as senior vice president of Sun's operating platforms group. He has been with the company since 1987.

Neither executive could be reached for comment early Monday.