Avnet says restructure will help VAR partners

Distributor to redeploy resource into new go-to-market teams to reflect changes in vendor and end-user landscape

Avnet Technology Solutions has hinted that it will throw its shoulder behind fewer VARs following a restructure at the distributor.

The VAD has also confirmed that the Magirus brand name will be retired at the end of January, two months after it completed the acquisition of its rival.

Talking to ChannelWeb, Sukh Rayat, regional leader for UK and Ireland at Avnet TS, revealed that the distributor's post-Magirus management structure has been finalised and that the firm is redeploying more resource into customer-facing go-to-market teams.

Currently, Avnet bases its UK business around eight technology business units focusing on IBM, HP, Oracle, network security, independent software, storage, services and unified communications (UC) respectively.

UC head Peter Hannah is moving on as that unit is folded into one of the other units - possibly network security - Rayat confirmed. Solutions Path boss Bruce Hockin is also leaving the distributor.

Although the remaining business units will be retained, some resource will be redeployed to customer-facing go-to-market teams focused on strategic, mid-market, OEM and MSP accounts respectively. An ISV team is also being discussed.

Rayat (pictured) said the rejig reflects recent changes to the vendor and VAR landscape, with end users increasingly calling on suppliers to provide them with a wider range of technology and services.

"Three years ago - or even a year ago - an end user may have had 20 different VARs calling them and supplying services based on their specialisms," he told ChannelWeb.

"As technology converges, more and more end users are looking to reduce their suppliers, so that number is rapidly coming down. That is also being driven at a supplier level as vendors acquire in market adjacencies."

He added: "At Avnet we have made a bunch of acquisitions. We have integrated them into our organisation but have left them as a collection of businesses specialising around certain vendors or technologies, for instance IBM or security - and have not been taking advantage of cross-collaboration around those businesses.

"The new go-to-market model still keeps the specialisation of our business units but we have started to form specialist go-to-market sales teams that are more customer centric."

Rayat said fewer than 100 VARs would sit in the strategic go-to-market team and that Avnet is reviewing its relationships with less-committed reseller partners.

"We cannot provide our value-add to thousands of customers," Rayat said. "We want to focus on partners where both we and they can make money. This does not necessarily have to be the largest resellers, it can be a smaller reseller that is evolving to be one of the large ones of tomorrow that needs the resource of Avnet to grow."

Magirus' 50 UK staff moved into Avnet's Bracknell headquarters this week and Rayat confirmed that the management integration process had been completed.

Magirus UK boss Denise Bryant (pictured) has been made one of four UK sales directors under the new management structure, looking after its Cisco, EMC, HDS and NetApp business, he confirmed.

Meanwhile, Laura Harman will continue as sales director for the independent software, networking and security and HP business units, but will now also take charge of the midmarket, SI and strategic accounts teams.

Christian Curtis has been promoted to boss the IBM, Oracle and services business units, with David House completing the line up of sales directors. He will be responsible for OEMs and MSP partners, while Linda Patterson will continue in her role as marketing director.