Acer makes UK channel manager role redundant

Vendor continues to shuffle management pack in the wake of Bobby Watkins' departure

Management changes continue at beleaguered PC vendor Acer as it emerges it has made Alicia Shepherd, its UK channel manager, redundant.

In an email leaked to CRN and sent out to its distribution and reseller partners, the vendor said Shepherd – who has worked at Acer for the past two years – would leave "with immediate effect", and that the distribution and certified reseller sales team would report directly to Nathan Knight, Acer's UK commercial business unit manager.

The change comes shortly after UK managing director Bobby Watkins handed in his resignation, with Neil Marshall, director of global sales and marketing transformation EMEA, taking over the reins.

Shepherd’s departure marks the end of a year of change for Acer, which was forced to write off $150m (£94m) of excess stock in June, causing it to lose its grip on the EMEA PC market top spot.

Speaking to CRN, Shepherd expressed her disappointment at the move.

“It is disappointing coming through what had been a challenging journey with Acer over the past 18 months. I was relishing the prospect of 2012 and driving for growth," she said.

Acer declined to comment.