Lefthand retrenches to UK stronghold

Storage vendor will refocus European efforts on UK and Benelux following loss of two top EMEA executives

Storage Area Network (SAN) vendor LeftHand Networks has put its European expansion plans on hold to throw weight behind its UK and Benelux operations.

With the exit of the vendor’s two top European directors in July, speculation has mounted over Lefthand’s plans for the region.

Doug Rich, previously vice president for EMEA of Lefthand, left the company at the same time that ex-EMEA marketing director at Lefthand, Henrik Housen was poached by vendor QLogic.

Angus Reid, channel marketing manager for EMEA at Lefthand, said: “Lefthand is still active in Europe; we just want to time our expansion correctly. We have been experiencing more revenues in the UK and the Netherlands compared to the rest of Europe, so plan to focus our efforts there.

“Lefthand wants to make the most of where its revenue is growing most.”

David Bang, vice president for international sales of Lefthand, will now head up the vendor’s US and European operations.

Reid said Lefthand recently moved its UK office from Bloxham, Oxfordshire to Reading.

“The Reading premises are bigger and include a new demo centre for partners and customers,” he said.