Symantec search over as Smith quits Novell to take top Euro job

Russell Smith, Novell?s UK distribution manager, is leaving to join Symantec as European distribution director, ending the firm?s eight-month search for a candidate.

Symantec has been looking for someone to fill the role since last September, following a European restructure.

Smith?s five-year stint at Novell began after the networking vendor bought Digital Research. He will join Symantec in May, reporting to fellow ex-Digital Research man Dieter Giesbrecht, vice president and managing director for Symantec EMEA.

John Wakeman, sales and marketing director at Symantec, said: ?Last September, we moved from being a functional organisation to a regionally based organisation. One of Russell?s key objectives will be to move us from one of the top five to one of the top two software vendors in Europe, like we are in the US.?

Smith said: ?I?m enthused by the products and the people ? it will be a different challenge. But I won?t lose contact with Novell because Symantec is a close partner.?

Symantec?s distributors include Frontline, CHS Electronics, Gem and Ingram Micro. Smith claimed that it was too early to comment on whether he would implement any changes to the company?s distribution strategy.