Softcat CEO on the reseller's biggest growth drivers

Graeme Watt picks three areas of fast growth and opens up on Softcat's flexible working plans

Softcat CEO Graeme Watt has highlighted what he expects to be the biggest growth drivers for the reseller moving into 2021.

Speaking as part of the virtual Canalys Channel Forum, Watt said that he expects cybersecurity, digital workplace and datacentre and cloud to be the fastest growing segments in the business.

"The three key areas pre-pandemic I think are also the priorities now as well, aided by services," he said.

"Security is an area that keeps growing with compound annual growth rates of double digits. The security business remains fragmented with offerings that aren't easily integrated.

"There are more and more remote working environments now so customers need help to assess and manage that that environment.

"So I think security and digital workspace will be most likely our fastest growing areas this year."

Watt revealed that Softcat is now back to a predominately remote environment after the government recently reversed its guidance to encourage workforces back to the office.

He said that Softcat is currently working on plans to increase the flexibility it gives to employees for the long term.

"Whilst I think we can work effectively remotely, I think we're more effective in the office," he said.

"I think everyone has got benefits from remote working - from being with family, not commuting, saving money, not polluting the planet…

"So I think moving forward we will give more flexibility to our workforce and we're in the process of communicating what that might look like.

"We will probably start off quite mostly and if it works we may increase if further from there. I think we could resist that tsunami of desire for remote working and say they need to be in the office to protect culture, or we can take the approach we have taken to be must more progressive and embrace that change."

Watt said that Softcat is now back in recruitment mode, having slowed slightly during the national lockdown. He said that the reseller is looking to increase its total headcount by around 10 per cent.

The CEO was again asked about any plans to expand Softcat out of the UK and Ireland markets in which it currently operates, explaining that no plans are in place at the moment.

"I think we've got a very successful track record of growing the company around a reasonably straightforward strategy that's worked very well in the UK and Ireland and it's been entirely organic," he said.

"If you ask me whether I think there are markets, North America, for example outside UK and Ireland where a Softcat model could work really effectively, I think the answer is yes.

"If you ask me whether I think one day Softcat will go international with a full sales model, a little bit like we did moving into Ireland a couple of years ago, I think the answer is yes.

"If you ask me when, I just don't know right now. I think there are two or three major markets in Europe, and North America, that could be very attractive for us. But in terms of timelines it's probably mid-term and we're not working actively on thinking like that currently."