Jackson takes leave of Tiny UK

Manufacturer loses its managing director after serving only a four-month tenure in the top position.

Tiny Computer's UK managing director, Ian Jackson, has quit the blossoming vendor amid claims of a falling out with group managing director John Gilbert-Harris.

Jackson had only been at the company for four months following his departure from Compaq as channel sales director. He joined Tiny on 18 January (PC Dealer, 20 January) to take over the running of the UK operation from Gilbert-Harris, who moved to group managing director to oversee the launch of the US operation.

A representative at Tiny conceded that Jackson had not stayed with the company for very long, but refused to elaborate on the exact nature of his departure: 'Ian Jackson has left the company. He has left to pursue other interests. I am unsure of his exact plans.'

He also could not confirm whether Jackson was to stay in the channel or retire, which was his original plan when he left Compaq.

Gilbert-Harris had originally chosen Jackson to oversee the UK operation while he focused on the US launch. But sources stated that Gilbert-Harris had found it difficult to give up the reins in the UK.

It also emerged that Jackson will not be replaced and that Gilbert-Harris will run both the UK and US operations.

The representative at Tiny said: 'There are no plans to replace Jackson, or to appoint a UK managing director.'

According to analysts at the Gartner Group, Tiny is the largest UK PC manufacturer, with six per cent of the market and 15 per cent of the direct sector. It has set up 10 stores in the US out of the target of 100 by the end of the year.

Jackson and Gilbert-Harris were unavailable for comment.

TINY GETS BIGGER

The Tiny showroom count has reached 105 in the UK, with a target figure of 130 by the end of the year. It has also established 26 stores in the Far East. Tiny recently pushed IBM out of the UK top five PC manufacturers (PC Dealer, 9 June), while its ISP operation has reached 75,000 subscribers.