Ingram shakes up divisions for future growth

After four years of expansion, Ingram boss restructures management to help simplify business for VARs

Ingram’s recent high-level management changes have been part of a move to simplify an overly complex organisation, according to its outgoing head Hans Koppen.
Koppen announced his intention to retire at the end of the year and will be succeeded by Jay Forbes.
The broadliner announced further management changes this month with Vincenzo Baggio appointed as senior vice president for Ingram Micro and vice president for the Benelux and Mediterranean region. Johan Vandenbussche was appointed as vice president of Ingram’s pan-European business unit and Dominique Meyer has become vice president for vendor management and business development and planning.
Speaking to CRN, Koppen said: “We have a pan-European organisation that has seen a lot of growth over the past four years. It has been a complex organisation with different dynamics and we wanted to take a fresh look at that. We have broken different divisions apart to be run under different vice presidents.”
Koppen said the aim when he came on board was to operate the UK, Germany and France business as standalone units.
“We have a new managing director in the UK ­ it is the first time we have had a British person there,” he said. “We have set out to have a stable operation in the UK. We have profitability and now we are ready to take it to the next stage.”
Koppen said Ingram is still on the lookout for acquisition opportunities, but is also putting an emphasis on organic growth.
“We want to focus on bringing more value-added products to the market as well as winning more small and mid-market business. One of the best ways to stay ahead of the pack is through making acquisitions,” he said.
Andy Dow, commercial director of rival distributor Westcoast, said: “Often distributors are criticised for having multiple points of contact and others for not having enough people covering product areas. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way of doing business provided it is done well.”
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