Essex VAR Utilize starts acquisition hunt
Freshly promoted MD of IT support specialist says firm's founder will now focus on strategic acquisitions in his new chairman role
Essex-based VAR Utilize is hunting its next acquisition after reshuffling its top management.
The Sage and IT support specialist, which together with sister brands Ignite Business Communications and C2 Software turns over in excess of £12m, has appointed a new group managing director in the shape of Guy Hocking, as its founder Warren Davies moves back to the chairman role.
The move upstairs will allow Davies to focus on scouring the market for potential acquisitions, Hocking (pictured) told CRN.
"Warren's role will primarily be the brand ambassador piece; going out and flying the flag, and also making strategic acquisitions, which is what he's good at," said Hocking, who was previously operations director at the firm having joined as a support engineer in 2004.
"He'll be hands-off day to day. Planning the strategy for the business will be where I come in."
Utilize has made a small handful of acquisitions to date, most notably Sage partner Aspirin in 2007, and last July it invested in 20-strong Dundee-based Microsoft Dynamics and SharePoint developer C2 Software.
"We're looking at data analytics, security, and AI; anything that can complement our existing services and that helps us get under the skin of our clients' businesses," Hocking explained.
He said his top priorities as new group managing director are to hunt for a new Essex-based HQ, nurture more homegrown talent and to "tell the story of the three brands a bit better".
Utilize turned over just over £8m in its last financial year, and Hocking said sister brand Ignite - a connectivity specialist which shares Utilize's offices in Romford and London - and C2 add another £4m and £1m or so to the top line, respectively.
"We're very much a group of technology companies that directly complement each other," Hocking said.
"In terms of our approach, we need to be more agnostic and consultative - having meaningful conversations with customers and not just selling them a bit of infrastructure."