Exertis reshuffles networking division in enterprise push
Sarah Potter to lead new-look networking unit of distributor, which aims to beef up relationship with Dell
Exertis has restructured its networking arm to push more business into the enterprise space and gain greater traction with vendors such as Dell.
Sarah Potter, former B2B business development manager of the computing division, will become networking general manager as part of the reshuffle, reporting to Gareth Bray, head of the technology division.
She confirmed to CRN that the move followed previous changes to the server and storage arms, which now sit under the distributor's enterprise wing.
"We are looking to build our enterprise proposition around our technical divisions," she said. "We want to offer our partners and vendors that full service around networking to position ourselves as the enterprise distributor for networking. Typically today we do very well in the SMB and commodity piece, but the VAD piece is to build that enterprise proposition."
Potter said that about 70 per cent of the distributor's networking is SMB and 30 per cent enterprise. Exertis is looking to adjust this balance, although she said it is too early to say what it will become.
She added that Exertis will focus on the VAD services it provides to resellers such as post-sales support and installation support, so these partners can "position themselves as enterprise networking partners".
Last piece of the jigsaw
Dell and Huawei are key to Exertis' high-level networking offering, and Potter hopes the distributor can gain more networking business with Dell through this restructure.
"This is the last piece of the jigsaw," she said. "We are the number-one distributor for Dell's client, server, storage and SonicWall. This [networking] is the last piece to develop, like we have done with those other business units. We can become the number-one networking distributor for Dell."
Exertis announced a deal in 2013 for security and comms distributor Cohort Technology, which became Exertis VAD Solutions last July. Potter said the changes to Exertis' networking unit will mean there will be more crossover and partnership with VAD Solutions, although the two teams will still be separate.
Exertis VAD Solutions' managing director Grahame Smee left the firm last week but Potter said this was not connected to the networking restructure.
Warren Haines has joined Exertis as enterprise networks business manager as part of this networking reshuffle and will be responsible for brands such as Dell, Huawei, Allied and Avocent, a company statement said. Amanda Henley has become the network product specialist focusing on vendors such as Netgear, TP Link and D-Link.
is Ian Ainsworth is promoted to B2B business development manager, replacing Potter in her previous computing position.