Bailey offers backing to support growth at s2s

Scott Nursten: Businesses should prepare for at least a year when planning to sell up

The managing director of s2s has forecast lightning growth for the security reseller as it draws on the customer base and financial might of new parent company, construction giant NG Bailey.

The Cisco Gold partner was snapped up by Bailey Teswaine, NG Bailey’s networking arm in January (CRN Online, 14 January).

Scott Nursten admitted the acquisition had been a gruelling process, but asserted the VAR was now well placed to profit under the umbrella of a larger company.

“I went into this a little naive. Anyone thinking of selling their business should expect at least a year of preparation. Even after the acquisition it took two months for everyone to calm down and it was very difficult to manage employee expectations,” he said.

Nursten said NG Bailey was helping s2s to recruit additional staff to swell the VAR’s sales by between 50 and 100 per cent annually. Last year it turned over £5m.

But he admitted it could be “18 to 24 months” before s2s can play a meaningful role in delivering part of NG Bailey’s vision for intelligent building. “Bailey’s long-term vision is called ‘for life in buildings’. The security message is key to that because do you really want an intelligent building being attacked by a Russian or Chinese hacker? That was another synergy that really worked well,” he said.

Bernie Dodwell, European security manager at Westcon Group, said s2s’ acquisition mirrored EDS’ recent purchase of Vistorm.

“This is typical of a convergence play where people understand that security is key to voice, data or even intelligent building,” he said.