The changes include implementing a hiring freeze -- or "hiring pause," as Maritz put it -- that started during the third quarter and will probably last into 2009. He will also divide VMware into separate business units to handle different areas of product development and appoint new senior executives to manage those divisions.

The changes were announced after VMware reported solid third-quarter financial results Tuesday, including profits that were ahead of expectations. But they also come as the IT industry braces for an expected slowdown in customer spending, and as VMware in particular exits a heady period of rapid growth.

Revenue at the virtualization software company grew 37 percent in the third quarter, to US$472 million. That compared with growth of 54 percent in the second quarter, 69 percent in the first, and 80 percent in the fourth quarter of last year.

"VMware is coming off a period of very rapid growth, so it's a healthy thing in any case to take stock and make sure we have people focused on the right areas," Maritz said during a conference call Tuesday, in reference to the hiring freeze. "But it's also too soon to say what will happen in 2009" in terms of customer spending, he said.

"We'll suspend new hiring except for important and strategic hires," Maritz said. "We'll continue this into the fourth quarter, and frankly into 2009 as well."