Fortinet sucks in Avnet duo as it rebuilds UK team

Avnet security and networking boss Carl Berry to join security vendor in June

Two members of Avnet Technology Solutions' (TS) network and security team, including business unit director Carl Berry, are leaving the distributor to join Fortinet.

Security vendor Fortinet is on a hiring blitz following the departure of several top UK staff in February, including UK country manager Mark Hyland.

Under the tutelage of newly installed director Andy Travers, the vendor has already sucked in Dave Park to the role of UK channel director.

Park previously worked with Travers at F5 Networks but the F5 connection doesn't end there as two executives from Avnet TS - an F5 distributor - also prepare to move across.

These are network and security business unit director Carl Berry and F5 business manager Paul Martin.

Avnet TS UK sales director Christian Curtis said the duo "go fully with our best wishes".

"It's normal for people to move on in a business of our size," he said. "Carl has been a member of the management team and at the end of the day a career and development opportunity has come up."

Curtis confirmed that the network and security unit will now be run by Phil Soane, who previously worked in Avnet's IBM team.

"We have a talent management programme and Phil is being seconded as part of that," he said.

Berry is set to join Fortinet in June although details of his role have yet to be confirmed.