Mobile News looks back at the industry’s key appointments and departures over the past 12 months
Another year goes by which means another 12 months of new arrivals and departures. As we look to 2019, we take a look at the movers and shakers that have caught the headlines in 2018.
January
CHANGE FOR HANKEY
Our 2018 kicked off with the announcement that former Data Select purchasing director and 20:20 Logistics senior buyer Steve Hankey had been appointed as head of commercial and vendor management at Eurostar Global Electronics.
Speaking at the time, Hankey said his role had been created to build relationships with tier-one and tier-two vendors.
February
WILLS AND CLEAVER
Westcoast announced that telco director Richard Wills and sales manager Mark Cleaver had left the distributor after over two years, with the two leaving the previous December.
Both Wills and Cleaver said the departures were made on “good terms”, pointing at the status Westcoast enjoys as a “top-three Apple distributor.”
TECH DATA
Also in distribution, Tech Data appointed David Watts as its managing director for the UK and Ireland.
Watts was promoted from inside the distributor after serving for 11 years, including in senior roles such as deputy managing director and commercial director.
ONECOM GOES LONG
Away from the box shifter, Onecom appointed former Samsung Electronics vice president Graham Long as chief executive officer of subsidiary Evolve.
The move was taken with the aim of helping the company to lead the unified communications and audiovisual market.
March
NUNN DEPARTS
Following in the footsteps of managing director Amanda Kerry-Wallington and sales director John Fannon in 2017, business development manager Bernie Nunn announced he had left Supercover Insurance.
Nunn departed the insurer to join motor, legal and property claims handlers Coplus as business development manager, but said that mobile would still be his focus.
WILLS ON BOARD
After announcing his departure from Westcoast at the start of the year, Richard Wills announced that he had joined rival distributor Data Select.
Wills came in as head of B2B sales, joining former Imgram Micro colleague Fergal Donovan. Former head of B2B Emrah Kulunkh departed the distributor to become sale director at uComms.
April
TOW STEPS IN
After stepping down as CEO of Vodafone Total Communications partner Redsquid Communications, Andy Tow was appointed managing director of marketing firm Retail Marketing Group.
Tow had also served as managing director of Genuine Solutions, Excalibur Communications, Chess Partner Services and Avenir Telecom between 2008 and 2016. He said the opportunity for growth at Retail Marketing Group was too appealing to turn down.
May
CHANGING INSURANCE
After leaving Supercover Insurance in 2017, former managing director Amanda Kerry-Wallington and sales director John Fannon revealed they had joined Bastion Insurance.
The insurer made its first dive into the mobile industry with the launch of Devicecover on May 1, and has since signed up over 185,000 policies.
HENCHOZ LEAVES GRS
Gadget Repair Solutions (GRS) business development manager Phil Henchoz left the repairer to join mobile solutions provider Mobicode as business development manager.
GRS founder and director Anthony Carlton took over from Henchoz once his one-year consultancy contract had expired.
June
THREE CHANGE
Three UK chief commercial officer Grant Stevenson stepped down from his role at the start of the month to be replaced by CFO Richard Woodward.
Elsewhere at the operator, Darren Purkis was promoted to chief financial officer from his deputy role.
SUPERCOVER SWITCH
Supercover appointed Michael Brigden as its business development manager, following the departure of Bernie Nunn in March.
Brigden had been enticed back to Supercover owners Markerstudy Group after leaving in 2016 for Insurance Revolution, where he was head of development.
PURE MD
O2 business mobile provider Pure Telecom appointed David Hayward as managing director.
Following the appointment, the dealer is targeting £10 million in turnover by 2025, after three years of double-digit growth.
July
MULLER LEAVES DAISY
Daisy Group chief executive Neil Muller resigned after three-and-a-half years at the helm.
Chairman at the time, Matthew Riley took over as CEO, with the appointment following Daisy’s acquisition of Voice Mobile and £175 million worth of direct B2B business from TalkTalk.
CHESS MOVE
Chess Partner Services managing director John Pett left the telecom solutions and airtime provider after two years.
Pett was promoted to managing director from sales director in 2015, joining the company as part of Chess’ purchase of Avenir Telecom the previous year.
August
SCHEEN LEAVES
Brightstar president of EMEA Benoit Scheen departed the distributor to pursue opportunities outside the company.
President of Asia Pacific David Nanayakkara took over as president of EMEA and is based in London.
MUKHERJEE STEPS DOWN
Vodafone head of north west regional business Rob Mukherjee stepped down from his position at the end of August after 12 years at the network.
According to Vodafone, Mukherjee played a big role in establishing a presence in the north-west, and the change came as the network reassessed how it divides the country into regions
September
NEW WAY
Former head of repairs at Dixons Carphone Tanny Atwal joined New Way International as its head of operations.
The role was created after the distributor took the decision to refurbish devices, drawing on Atwal’s “wealth of experience” in graded stock.
FLUIDONE LOOKS TO WEST
FluidOne appointed former KCOM and Equiinet account manager Henry West as channel sales director.
West has 20 years of experience in the channel and was appointed as part of plans to triple annual revenue over five years.
October
HUGHES AND PAINTER
Data Select head of finance Chris Hughes and head of retail John Painter both left the distributor after 13 years each.
Both were at the distributor during the inception of the Platinum Club for the company’s resellers.
November
O’KEEFFE GOES INTERNATIONAL
Exertis UK managing director Gerry O’Keeffe was promoted to managing director of Exertis International.
As well as O’Keeffe, Paul Bryan was promoted from UK managing director to UK and Ireland managing director.
ONECOM CEO
Former O2 group sales director Ben Dowd was announced as CEO of Vodafone dealer Onecom.
Dowd left O2 under unexplained circumstances after 22 years, and joined Onecom after Darren Ridge’s promotion to group CEO.
