All change for channel bosses

EMEA executive to take over UK operations at 3Com, and Insight hires new managing director

Management reshuffles were the subject of talk in the channel last week, after networking vendor 3Com and online reseller Insight showed off their new executives.

After axing the UK country manager role occupied by Paul Malcolm, Buddie Ceronie, incoming executive in charge of 3Com's UK operations, said: "We have made the position of country manager redundant and are now looking for a new role for Paul Malcolm."

Malcolm confirmed to CRN that he was "on gardening leave" and was weighing up his options at the company.

3Com announced a review of the UK sales team earlier this month, which was expected to last for about two weeks (CRN, 7 October). Ceronie will head the firm's UK business, and will also have responsibility for Eastern Europe, Russia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa.

Ceronie also said he was inviting 3Com's 100 biggest UK VARs to meet him in groups of 12, giving them an opportunity to express their expectations.

Chris Absalom, technical director at 3Com Gold Partner Computer Network Systems, said there were certain occasions when close contact was useful.

"One of the issues we would like to discuss is product life-cycles, so we can build them into our plans," he said.

Absalom added that it was important for a vendor to have a UK chief, as it brought together activities in the region. "A country manager can react to regional market conditions or individual reseller needs. I believe in having a strong country manager with powers to make local decisions," he said.

Adrian Hurel, senior vice-president for EMEA sales at Allied Telesyn, was 3Com's UK country manager between 2000 and 2001. He said he experienced little autonomy in the 3Com job.

Meanwhile, online reseller giant Insight has hired a new UK managing director, following the departure of former chief executive David Palk earlier this year.

Stuart Fenton, who has worked for seven years at rival e-reseller Micro Warehouse, has been lined up to take on the role.