Peter Karmanos Plans New Software Company

Peter Karmanos, Compuware's CPWR Chairman and CEO, has announced that he will step down in 2013 when he turns 70 and the company he founded turns 40, and he believes that the software development company could be worth $6 billion by then. Current Compuware President and COO Robert Paul will succeed Karmanos, though he has said that he might hand the CEO job over the Paul this year and move into an executive chairman's position. Intriguingly, Karmanos appeared on Paul W. Smith's show on WJR this morning, and he mentioned that he is seriously considering starting a new software company when he retires. Karmanos believes that, with so many people in their early-twenties becoming so successful, his experience should put him in a position to the same. He added that he wants his sons to work with him. One has to wonder, though, if Karmanos, still the CEO at the giant, Detroit-based Compuware, has been holding any ideas back for his latest venture. He's obviously very proud of Compuware and what he has achieved, but Karmanos has achieved this level of success by having one eye on the future. It'll be interesting to see what happens in 2013 and beyond in Karmanos' world.