Sage partners cheer new European midmarket unit

New uber-unit replaces country-led midmarket teams

Sage partners have given a cautious thumbs-up to the vendor's decision to bin its local midmarket units in favour of one all-encompassing European midmarket division.

Helmed by Sage ERP X3 chief executive Christophe Letellier, the new organisation sees Sage pool its midmarket R&D, sales & marketing and implementation & support resources at a European level.

The vendor said the move reflects the fact that European midmarket customers have common characteristics, such as size and complexity of processes.

Jayne Archibold, who was previously managing director of Sage's UK midmarket unit, is one of seven Sage executives handed roles within the team, which will focus on Sage's ERP X3 offering.

European chief executive Alvaro Ramirez, said: "We now have a common set of priorities and initiatives across Europe and this clear business focus represents a big step forward.

"Many of our mid-market customers need support to grow internationally and that growth can require more sophisticated and comprehensive solutions."

Steve Precious, managing director of DCS Solutions, a Sage partner specialising in Sage 200, gave the move a cautious welcome.

"Sage owns an awful lot of businesses with an awful lot of R&D and resource and it makes sense for them to rationalise it," he said.

Precious added that his firm is taking a "watching brief" on ERP X3, which is now used by 3,700 customers globally.

Sage claimed that UK partners would continue to benefit from local support while also being able to draw on the expertise of the European team.

Lee Whelan, managing director of Sage partner Acuity, said: "With business today more global than ever, the formation of Sage's European organisation makes absolute sense from a strategic standpoint.

"For us, we'll continue to collaborate with our Sage representatives in Newcastle, as well as with the European team, to ensure we best meet the demands of our customers."