Kcom snares another C&W executive

Max Harding given task of doubling enterprise sales business

Communications provider Kcom has poached a Cable&Wireless (C&W) veteran to head up its enterprise sales business in the hope of doubling it in the next two years.

Max Harding, who worked for C&W for 13 years, most recently held the role of client managing director before joining Kcom last month. He will look after direct sales in the UK in the sectors of retail, finance and professional services.

Harding's new boss and former C&W colleague, Elizabeth Bramwell, who has led Kcom's sales team for the past year following a 12-year stint as C&W's channel director, said she would not rule out hiring from her former company again.

She told ChannelWeb: "It is not a coincidence that Max was hired from C&W. When I worked with him in the past, his professionalism, knowledge and experience really stood out, so when I decided we needed someone to head up our enterprise division, he ticked all the boxes.

"It is best to hire people we know; it is much better than the recruitment lottery."

Harding is charged with the task of doubling Kcom's enterprise business in the next two years, after the communications firm declared it wants to be the leading provider of integrated communications in its market.

He will join the current sales team alongside Afshin Attari, director of public sector and channel partner sales director Iain Shearman, who said that the shifts in mobile technology trends offer new opportunities for Kcom.

He added: "The [technological] landscape is changing quickly. End users can work on the move and access data where and when they need it, and not necessarily from a fixed location.

"We are not looking at traditional telecoms. Kcom is becoming a communications service provider; we are spending a lot of time and money developing managed collaboration."

When asked if the move towards new mobile technology indicated a move away from the channel, Bramwell insisted the reseller channel could still take advantage of the focus on new technology.

She said: "Historically, the partner channel was about traditional technology. Now they can take our new solutions to end users."

Shearman added: "We are putting partners in an advantageous position with this technology.

"We have made the investment and the channel can take advantage of this [new technology]. There is a clear route to market across these products."