Acquired NextiraOne aims to ride IP wave
Integrator to focus on managed services
The private equity buy-out of integrator NextiraOne has been completed, and the company aims to focus on becoming a major managed services force in Europe.
NextiraOne, which has vendor partnerships with Cisco, Alcatel and Nortel, has been acquired by private equity firm ABN AMRO Capital France (AACF), as revealed by CRN Online.
The firm has also appointed Rafi Kouyoumdjian as its chief executive. He replaces Bruno d’Avanzo, who has left the company to “pursue other interests”.
Neil Moss, marketing director at NextiraOne, told CRN: “The enterprise communications market is entering a profound era of change. Our goal in Europe is to become one of the top five managed services providers by the end of 2008.”
Moss said NextiraOne has made acquisitions over the past couple of years and will continue to consider further purchases.
“We will make some acquisitions, but it is too early to make detailed plans,” he said.
“The acquisitions will be in certain skills areas or to enter some new geographies. The investment [from AACF] is allowing us to focus the organisation to make changes to maintain and grow our position in the market.”
Moss added that Kouyoumdjian will bring additional experience and expertise to NextiraOne from his three years as president of Tiscali France.
Kouyoumdjian said: “We intend to make the company the dominant market player in IP communications solutions and managed services in Europe, with extended reach in the private and public sectors.”
John Pepper, managing director of Cisco VAR Minx Technology, said: “It is good to see private equity firms investing in IP. It shows they have confidence in the future of the convergence market and the potential growth in profits.”