Ex-PeopleSoft Chief joins Salesforce.com board

Former PeopleSoft Chief Craig Conway has kept a low profile since losing his job last year in a futile battle against an Oracle takeover. He surfaced today as a member of Salesforce.com's board.

It's interesting timing. Oracle recently acquired Saleforce competitor Siebel Systems. Last week, Oracle President Charles Phillips mused that it would be "fun to crush" Salesforce.com. And it's anyone's guess who Oracle will gobble up next.

To add to the intrigue, the heads of all these companies know each other well. Conway and Salesforce boss Marc Benioff used to work for Oracle Chief Larry Ellison before enemy lines were drawn.

Conway may have gone down in flames fighting his former boss, yet he's a fervent Oracle critic. His new role at Salesforce certainly sends a message.