CMS Peripherals appoints managing director

Former Azlan chief takes on role at rival distributor

Storage distributor CMS Peripherals has appointed former Azlan executive Freddie Jones as its UK managing director to help it in its aim to become a 400m euro business by 2010.

CMS’s former managing director Frank Salmon will become group chief executive and take less of a role in the day-to-day running of CMS. Jones previously held the role of UK managing director of distributor Azlan.

Jones told CRN: “This will provide an aggressive investment injection into CMS,” he said. “I will provide leadership and have responsibility for the UK. I may have limited experience of storage technology, but I have a great deal of experience of the distribution arena.”

Astley Gayle, product manager for the UK and Ireland at CMS, said: “Frank [Salmon] will be more strategically involved in CMS. We are actively looking to develop our footprint. As the sector expands there are emerging opportunities and technologies forming on a daily basis, such as high-definition DVD and virtualisation software.”

Simon Welch, marketing director at distributor Clarity Technology, told CRN: “CMS can clearly see expanding opportunities in the market and is investing in them. CMS probably chose Jones because of his knowledge, experience and distribution contacts.”

Separately, Azlan was recently appointed as a retail distributor for hard drive vendor Seagate in the UK and Ireland (CRN, 11 May), as well as a distributor for networking vendor Netgear in Ireland (CRN, 5 May).

>> Further reading:

Seagate appoints CMS to bolster retail growth

Netgear signs CMS deal for Irish growth