Richard Baxendale becomes the latest high profile resignation from the global distributor in the past 12 months
Tech Data Mobile vice president for services Richard Baxendale has quit the global distributor after more than seven years, Mobile News understands.
He is the latest high profile departure from the organisation having seen regional VP for Benelux Huub Lamers, global senior VP president Rod Millar and in January regional VP Torben Pederson head out the door in the past year.
Baxendale (pictured) joined the firm, then Brightstar Europe, back in 2008 as UK managing director, and has been hailed by ex employees as playing an integral part in the firm’s launch and early success.
He went on to hold numerous other roles roles at the firm, having been promoted to VP of business development in 2010 and then promoted again to European head of services following Tech Data’s buyout of Brightstar’s share of the joint venture for $165.6 million in September 2012.
He was the last of the original senior team that started the business.
Reasons for his departure are not yet known although some have suggested he was unhappy with the “cultural” changes to the organisation since Tech Data gained full control.
A source close to Tech Data Mobile said companies will be “fighting” to get him on board.
One source said: “When he joined Brightstar, the company was full of entrepreneurial spirit and was fighting to become the best – which it did. The old team that built it have now all gone.
High demand
He added:”The company runs things differently now and he felt it was time for a change. He won’t be out of work for long, that’s for certain.”
Baxendale has already been linked with a number of vacant roles in the industry. These include MD position at Data Select following Roy Taylor’s exit earlier this month. Distribution rival and Basingstoke neighbours (located opposite each other) Exertis is also said to be looking to fill a European head of services position.
Mobile News is awaiting comment from Tech Data Mobile.