Datatec, the international Information & Communications Technology
group, and its Westcon AME subsidiary have signed a strategic
agreement with Cisco(R), the worldwide leader in networking for the
Internet, which will lead to the establishment of a dedicated
operation in Dubai UAE, focussed on the sales and marketing of Cisco
products in the Gulf region.
To be known as Comstor Middle East, the new company will support
the reseller channel in the region by providing products; selling
tools; technical, integration and financial services; market and
technology expertise and an environment to enable them to more
efficiently and profitably sell solutions to their end customer.
Former Tech Data Managing Director of the UK and Middle East, Steve
Lockie, has been appointed as head of Datatec Group's Westcon Middle
East operations with effect from April 2007.
The sales, marketing and logistics activities of Comstor Middle
East will be supported through Westcon Group European Operations Ltd.,
leveraging the sister company's existing position within the Cisco
marketplace. Also, Comstor Middle East will be offering Westcon
Group's OneDefense and OneVoice programs, which form the delivery and
targeting mechanism to enable Comstor customers to compete most
effectively in their advanced technology markets of choice.
Willem de Haan, Chief Business Development Officer for Westcon and
Comstor European Operations says: "The emerging markets experience of
our parent company Datatec, combined with our expanding European
operations, will be instrumental in accommodating Cisco's fast growing
drive in this burgeoning region. Based on a long business relationship
with Cisco, we believe that building and enabling unique and effective
routes to high growth advanced technology markets is key to ensuring
fundamental growth for customers."
Datatec Group CEO, Jens Montanana comments: "This is the first of
many planned steps towards achieving our objective of increasing our
exposure to emerging markets by working closely with key vendors.
Steve Lockie's considerable experience in IT distribution will enable
us to identify and capture new opportunities in this fast growing
region--we are glad to have him on board."
"We congratulate Comstor on its appointment as a Cisco distributor
for the Gulf region," said Adrian Taylor, Regional Channel Manager in
Cisco Gulf, Comstor's continuous efforts to develop new resellers and
build solutions around advanced technologies will be imperative to the
continuing success of one of Cisco's fastest growing regions in the
world."
Note to Editors
Datatec is an international Information & Communications
Technology (ICT) group focused on the supply of advanced ICT and the
delivery of professional services into the higher growth segments of
the global market. The Group's main lines of business comprise the
global distribution of advanced networking and communications
convergence products (Westcon), IT infrastructure solutions and
network integration (Logicalis) and strategic telecommunications
consulting (Analysys Mason). Datatec is registered in South Africa and
its shares are listed in Johannesburg and London. The Group has 2,500
employees around the world.
In the six months to 31 August, the Group reported an increase in
revenue of 16% to $1.67 billion (2005: $1.44 billion), EBITDA
increased by 32% to $52.0 million (2005: $39.5 million), operating
profit increased by 44% to $43.3 million (2005: $30.1 million), and
headline earnings per share grew to 15.65 cents (2005: 12.02 cents).
Westcon Group, Inc. is a multi-national specialty distributor of
networking, security and communications equipment for leading
technology vendors, including Cisco Systems, Inc., Nortel Networks
Corporation and Avaya, Inc. Through its Westcon, Comstor and Voda One
divisions, Westcon Group sells products and services to resellers,
systems integrators and service providers worldwide. Westcon Group has
particular expertise in the convergence of voice, data and video
applications and technologies, including voice-over Internet protocol,
or VoIP, security for networking and communications systems, remote
access, Internet and e-business, virtual private networks,
videoconferencing and wireless connectivity. For more information,
visit www.westcongroup.com.
