Simply Computers MD resigns

Paul Berry, managing director of mail order company Simply Computers, has resigned nine years after setting up the firm. Kevin McSpadden, sales and marketing director, will replace Berry with immediate effect.

Paul Berry, managing director of mail order company Simply Computers, has resigned nine years after setting up the firm. Kevin McSpadden, sales and marketing director, will replace Berry with immediate effect.

Berry started the company in 1991 with Maria Knowles, who left in 1996. He sold it to multinational mail order firm Global Direct last February.

McSpadden said Berry had left to pursue other business interests. "Paul Berry is an entrepreneur, and after nine years I think he believed it was time for a change," he said, adding that he was unaware of Berry's immediate plans, but that they were "unlikely to be in the same field".

Coming from outside the IT industry when he joined the company six years ago, McSpadden will continue with his sales and marketing responsibilities, but his department will now report directly to the managing director.

The company will continue to shift towards the business-to-business (B2B) market. "The B2B sector is growing at 70 per cent year on year, so we are seeking to expand that part of the business," said McSpadden. "Ideally, we will look to a 90-10 split in favour of B2B over the business-to-consumer market."

McSpadden also claimed that the mail order company expected to increase its dedicated B2B sales team of 75 people to about 160 next year.

Steve Bennett, Jungle.com's managing director, who recently sold his business to high street chain Argos, was sympathetic with Berry. "I love my situation now, but sometimes being in charge is not the same when you are no longer the owner. But then again, that depends on who the owner is," he said.

David Atherton, managing director of Simply rival Dabs Direct, believed McSpadden would make the company increasingly web-based following Berry's departure.

"Simply has been moving that way - towards the internet - for a while now, but McSpadden will accelerate that. It is a natural progression with mail order businesses today. The internet cuts costs," he said.