Business Objects and IBM Partner to Deliver Data Mining Solution; Business Objects Leading Integrated Query, Reporting, and OLAP Tool and IBM's Intelligent Miner Work Together for Advanced Data Mining Analysis

Business Wire, May 20, 1996

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 1996--Business Objects (NASDAQ: BOBJY) and IBM today announced that they have formed a data mining partnership to integrate BusinessObjects, the world's leading integrated query, reporting, and online analytical processing (OLAP) tool, with IBM Intelligent Miner(a), a knowledge discovery product for analyzing, extracting, and visualizing data in databases and data warehouses.

IBM is part of Business Objects new Open Data Mining Initiative, a comprehensive data mining partner program that will let customers use a wide range of advanced data mining techniques in conjunction with it's flagship product, BusinessObjects 4.0. BusinessObjects 4.0 is an integrated query, reporting, and OLAP tool that allows non-technical end users to access and analyze data stored in corporate databases and data warehouses.

The IBM Intelligent Miner allows users to "mine" their data assets in search of high value business intelligence, such as hidden relationships, new trends, and previously undetected patterns that can give a competitive edge. The Intelligent Miner consists of powerful algorithms and processing techniques that enable application developers to analyze data stored in databases, including IBM's award winning DB2 family of relational databases. The Intelligent Miner algorithms enable analyses ranging from deviation detection, classification and predictive modeling, to association discovery, sequential pattern discovery, and database segmentation.

"Many of our joint customers with IBM are deploying data warehouses, and want to start exploring data mining as a natural extention to the integrated query, reporting, and OLAP they have today with BusinessObjects," said Bernard Liautaud, president and CEO of Business Objects. "IBM's leadership with Intelligent Miner will allow customers to perform advanced data mining analysis to identify patterns and hidden trends in their data to better understand business issues."

"IBM's Intelligent Miner is a funcionally rich, scalable, and proven knowledge discovery tool. When used in conjunction with BusinessObjects, customers will be better able to realize their business intelligence potential using tools they are familiar with," said Tim Negris, vice president sales and marketing solutions, IBM Software Solutions. "IBM is very committed to working with companies such as Business Objects in providing strategic, high value-add decision support solutions to our customers."

About IBM

IBM, the world's largest software provider, creates, develops, and manufactures the industry's most advanced information technologies including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices, and microelectronics. For additional information regarding IBM software, visit the IBM Software home page at http://www.software.ibm.com/.>About Business Objects

Business Objects (NASDAQ:BOBJY) is the world's leading supplier of integrated query, reporting, and OLAP tools. The company's flagship product, BusinessObjects, provides mainstream business users with access to information stored in corporate databases, data warehouses, and packaged applications. The company pioneered the market for business-intelligent decision support tools in 1990 by introducing the first product to use a "semantic layer" to map complex database schemas to a business representation understandable by non-technical end users.

Business Objects generated over $60M in revenue in 1995, concluding its fifth consecutive year of more than 100 percent revenue growth. BusinessObjects has been licensed in more than 50 countries to over 2,900 customer sites and 160,000 users worldwide. Business Objects partners with more than 350 leading third-party vendors. More information on Business Objects can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.businessobjects.com. -0-

Note to Editors: BusinessObjects is a trademark of Business Objects S.A. (a)Indicates trademarks or registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

Inquiries for Business Objects product information should call: 800/527-0580 or contact the company through the Web at http:\\www.businessobjects.com.

See other releases today on Business Objects data mining partnerships.

CONTACT: Business Objects

Tracy Eiler or Miriam Standish, 408/973-9300

teiler@busobj.com

mstandis@busobj.com

or

Blanc & Otus

Danielle Dawson, 415/512-0500

ddawson@bando.com

or

IBM Media Relations

Susan Scott-Ker, 914/766-1463

susansk@vnet.ibm.com