Entrega hands Euro helm to Hudson

3Com former vice president of client access, Clive Hudson, has re-emerged in the IT industry after a seven-month absence to set up the European operation for US vendor Entrega.

Hudson initially joined the USB manufacturer Entrega two months ago as a consultant after he left 3Com in March following eight years at the company (PC Dealer, 25 March).

Talking exclusively to PC Dealer, Hudson said he had primarily been involved with the US vendor as a shareholder, but had later been taken on as European vice president and general manager to set up the company in the UK and to begin selling and shipping products by November.

He added that he would be setting up operations in Italy, France and Germany in the run-up to Christmas.

Hudson dismissed rumours that he would be approaching colleagues still involved with his previous employer to find 10 staff for the first branch, in Reading.

But he said: 'I may be talking to people who were involved in USR, or those who have departed before the merger went through between USR and 3Com.'

Entrega will be selling products through the channel and has confirmed the appointment of Northamber as its first PC distributor, but Hudson said he was still in talks to sign a Mac partner. He expected a deal would be completed within two weeks.

Meanwhile, the steady trickle of 3Com departees is continuing unabated.

Olivier Choron, European small business manager, defected to arch rival Bay Networks two weeks ago to head Bay's European SME strategy.

David Beckett, former 3Com carrier sales manager, has also joined Bay following his departure from the vendor in March.

Last month Stephan Burlon, European distribution director at 3Com, also left the vendor, prompting fears that the company's distribution strategy could revert from a regionally based structure to a nationally run operation.

3Com claimed its staff attrition rate, especially last quarter, was lower than the industry average.