Epicor Software Corp. has named Joseph L. Cowan president and chief executive, replacing Pervez Qureshi who is stepping down to pursue new opportunities according to the company.
Along with his appointment as president and CEO, Cowan will be appointed as a member of the Epicor board of directors, while Qureshi will also be stepping down from his position as a director on the Epicor board of directors.
Most recently, Cowan served as president and CEO of Online Resources, a provider of online banking and full-service payment solutions, until its acquisition by ACI Worldwide in March 2013. Previously, he served as CEO of Interwoven, Inc., a content management software maker, until its acquisition by Autonomy Corporation plc in 2009.
“We are very pleased that Joe Cowan has joined Epicor as its new CEO and will be leading the company in its next phase of growth," said Epicor board of directors member Jason Wright. “He possesses outstanding strategic vision and exceptional commercial and operational skills having led a number of major software companies to new levels of growth and profitability. Pervez led us through a complex period during exceptionally challenging economic times in which he oversaw the highly successful integration of Epicor and Activant. He was instrumental in positioning the new Epicor as the global leader it is today with over 20,000 customers in more than 150 countries.”
Qureshi was appointed Epicor’s president and CEO in May 2011. From 2006 through his appointment Qureshi served as CEO and president of Activant Solutions Inc., which along with Epicor, was operated as a combined business following the acquisition of both companies by funds advised by Apax Partners. From 2004 to 2006, Qureshi served as Activant’s chief operating officer and executive vice president.
