Exertis latest distie to re-join GTDC

Exertis defected from GTDC in 2016 to join rival EMEA-focused group TCA

Exertis has rejoined the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC) after a five-year hiatus from the distribution members group.

Tim Griffin, managing director of Exertis' parent DCC Technology and Clive Fitzharris, managing director of Exertis interational, will join the GTDC board of directors.

Griffin said that it "makes perfect sense" for Exertis to be part of the GTDC given its status as a global distributor with operations across Europe, North America, the Middle East and China.

"When I first took on my role, Exertis was substantially a UK business and my focus has been to transform Exertis into a global powerhouse. I'm delighted that we now have assets on both sides of the Atlantic," he said.

"It's exciting to be part of the GTDC at a time when vendor partners and channel customers are increasingly relying on distributors to deliver more than products. Knowledge, insight and strong partnerships are the industry's foundation, and we're all responding to extraordinary trends in business as well as society."

Frank Vitagliano, CEO of the GTDC, added: "Technology distributors are continuously adding new value on a global scale, and the addition of Exertis to the GTDC brings yet more depth, insight and diversity to the organization. We look forward to their participation and support as we advance awareness of how the distribution industry is transforming in the everything-as-a-services era."

The GTDC is a worldwide association whose members generate more than $150bn in annual sales. Members include distribution heavyweights including Ingram Micro, Synnex, Tech Data, Arrow and Exclusive Networks.

Exertis was part of the GTDC until 2016 when it became a founding member of an EMEA-focused rival distribution group called the Technology Channels Alliance (TCA).

The TCA believed that the GTDC was too dominated by US-based distributors and left EMEA-based distributors at a disadvantage.

Exertis is the second founding member of the TCA to defect to the GTDC this year after Italian distributor Esprinet announced that it had become a GTDC member in January.