2e2 boss laments tough 2009

Terry Burt "delighted" with full-year numbers despite unforgiving market backdrop

Terry Burt: Last year [saw] the most challenging circumstances I can remember in my 28 years in the industry

The chief executive of 2e2 has labelled 2009 the toughest year in living memory after the integrator unveiled roughly flat figures for the 12-month period.

The private equity-backed integrator, which has acquired similar-sized competitor Morse since its year end, saw revenue for the year to 31 December inch up three per cent to £200m as EBITDA grew from £23.5m to £30m.

Chief executive Terry Burt said weaker product and professional services sales were compensated for by a 6 to 8 per cent spike in managed services sales.

“Last year [saw] the most challenging circumstances I can remember in my 28 years in the industry,” he said.

“I am delighted with the results. It was a case of getting down into the bunker and working hard. We have already seen much stronger growth in revenue terms this year and have begun to invest again.”

For 2009, Burt said 2e2 had grown well with Microsoft and EMC and had hit targets with Cisco. HP sales were down slightly because the relationship was more product centric, he added, although the "quality" of revenues was higher.

He admitted that some vendors had been more supportive of 2e2’s efforts to move away from pure product sales than others.

“The more enlightened vendors know that if we take an architectural approach they do better from it,” he said. “We have regular debates with Microsoft around Windows 7 upgrades. They wanted us to sell Windows 7, but we were more interested in establishing a position in AX and CRM and taking a solution-oriented approach rather than just grazing a base.”