Comparex eyes Indian expansion after Iris acquisition

VAR makes first purchase in the region since launching its Indian subsidiary earlier this year

Ambitious VAR Comparex has opened its acquisition purse to acquire Indian software and services expert Iris.

The firm, which was formerly known as PC-Ware but rebranded earlier this year to Comparex, will incorporate Iris and its 70 employees into the Comparex Group and will operate under the Comparex brand.

Iris offers maintenance, professional services, remote management, security services and IT training, with its vendor partners including Microsoft, Symantec, HP, IBM, Cisco, EMC, Radware, Juniper, Websense, Stonesoft and Trend Micro.

It will continue to be led by Iris' managing director Navin Kapur, and is the first purchase since the firm opened its Indian subsidiary in Delhi earlier this year as part of its Asia-Pacific expansion plans.

Klaus Elsbacher, chief executive of Comparex, said: "I am very happy to welcome Iris and Navin Kapur to our team. Its portfolio and market position are the perfect fit for our company. With this addition, we will be able to fulfil two approaches to growth. We can expand our position in a newly established market and we will do so by investing in an acquisition.

"The third approach – the gradual development of a standardised portfolio at all subsidiaries within the group – will be next on our agenda in India," he added. "Again, I want to stress my belief that India has the potential to evolve into the third-largest subsidiary within our Group. Now we have come one step closer to achieving this target."