Outgoing ShoreTel EMEA boss heads for Logitech

John Howard to take reins of peripherals vendor's EMEA B2B operations next month

Logitech has enlisted outgoing ShoreTel EMEA boss John Howard to spearhead an assault on the corporate and enterprise space.

Howard (pictured), who departs ShoreTel at the end of this month, will join the peripherals vendor on 17 October in the role of EMEA business-to-business director.

Howard said he hoped to establish Logitech as an important part of the enterprise unified communications landscape by supporting "disruptive" technologies such as Microsoft Lync.

He told ChannelWeb: "My team's job is to sell incremental net-new business into the corporate and enterprise space.

"The traditional PBX market is under attack, not only from the economy but also new market entrants and disruptive technologies. I am going somewhere that supports those disruptive technologies."

Logitech draws the bulk of its $2.4bn global revenues from consumer, but Howard stressed his EMEA B2B team was "in the tens of millions" and growing fast.

ShoreTel's EMEA operations are currently being run by marketing head Tom Perry while a successor is sought.

Howard said he and ShoreTel SVP Don Girskis sifted through candidates this week and that a shortlist will be drawn up by the end of the month.

He stressed it was an amicable departure.

"In two years, ShoreTel has more than doubled revenues in EMEA and I felt it was the right time to leave," Howard said. "ShoreTel is a great product, but I was given the opportunity to work for Logitech. It is a much bigger role for me."