Bluck steps in to fill gap left by Klinker

Hardware Acer appoints UK sales director after six-month period.

Acer has finally filled the UK sales director vacancy that arose six months ago following the transfer and eventual departure of John Klinker from the manufacturer earlier this year.

Darrell Bluck, Acer's channel sales manager, has been promoted to Klinker's former position.

Prior to the appointment, he was responsible for combining Acer and Texas Instruments (TI) after the acquisition of TI's mobile computing arm in March last year.

Bluck, who joined the manufacturer as an account manager in 1994, reported to Klinker before his move to Acer Peripherals and eventual departure to US company Intermec in February.

Klinker was appointed UK sales director in August last year, a post left vacant by Dave Tanner. Klinker arrived at Acer from TI as its Northern Europe manager after the mobiles buyout, becoming mobile division manager at Acer UK before his final promotion to sales director.

In another development, Acer has established a pilot e-commerce project with 12 of its resellers. The service, which started on 3 August, will enable prospective customers to order desktops and notebooks over the internet.

But according to Anita Bowles, Acer marketing director, the sales will be fulfilled by resellers and not directly by the manufacturer.

An accreditation programme for education channel partners will also be set up, following the establishment of Acer's education arm.

The scheme will have a maximum of 12 partners and will primarily sell portables and servers into schools.

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