Ex-Novell MD joins Security Dynamics team

Novell's former UK managing director and northern European VP Tom Schuster is due to join remote access vendor Security Dynamics next week after leaving the networking supplier.

Schuster, who had been at Novell for two years, will start at Security Dynamics on 1 February as VP of sales and operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Talking to PC Dealer, John Botting, UK general manager at Security Dynamics, said: 'Schuster's role is to carry on the company's significant growth rates, which have been about 60 to 70 per cent.'

He added that Security Dynamics had traditionally been a direct sales operation, but 60 per cent of its business was generated via the channel, although this number is expected to increase so that more business is put through the channel.

Schuster is replacing Lionel Beckett, who has decided to retire from the industry. He had been employed at Security Dynamics for five years after being coaxed out of retirement following 29 years of employment at IBM. Beckett will continue to work at Security Dynamics during a handover period between Schuster and Beckett.

Schuster left Novell last week in what was termed a surprise move by observers, although some conceded that he had taken more of a back seat position during the past six months.

Schuster was unavailable to comment on his appointment.