Steve Lockie to leave Computer 2000
Distribution veteran believed to be heading back to the Middle East
Distribution veteran Steve Lockie is leaving Computer 2000 (C2000) after 10 years at the firm and is believed to be heading back to the Middle East to work for Datatec in Dubai.
As revealed by CRN last week (CRN Online, 27 November), Lockie has quit the distributor after two years in the UK managing director’s position. Previous to this, Lockie headed up Tech Data – C2000’s parent company – in the Middle East. CRN understands Lockie will work for Datatec, parent company of distributor Westcon and VAR Logicalis.
Andy Gass will fill the C2000 managing director’s position. Gass was formerly vice-president of Tech Data’s enterprise business in Europe. He will work alongside Lockie in the run-up to C2000’s year end on 31 January 2007.
Lockie told CRN: “I have always wanted to get back into emerging markets and this is the right opportunity for me. I’m leaving on good terms and I’ll be around until January to help Andy. Andy is definitely the right man to take over and was top of my list.”
Lockie denied that he has felt any pressure from the US, following poor financial results. “The UK has performed well and is positioned to carry on doing so,” he said.
Gass told CRN last week: “In the past 14 years, 12 of them I have spent at Tech Data or C2000, so I know the UK business and staff intimately. There will be no significant restructure in the UK. We have the right management and structure to continue our aggressive growth period.”
Graeme Watt, European president of rival distributor Bell Micro, said: “Steve has done a good job under challenging circumstances. From my time working with Steve at Tech Data I know he enjoyed the Middle East, so it is no surprise that he is headed back there.”