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All change in the Channel

Resellers, distributors and vendors ring in the changes

A slew of management changes have swept across the channel as the silly season starts in earnest.

Distie veteran Alice Smitheman, marketing director at Azlan is set to join Avnet Technology Solutions as EMEA veep of operational excellence, a role that includes fine-tuning the firm's logistics engine.

Graeme Watt, EMEA president at Avnet, confirmed the appointment to El Reg, "that is correct and we'll be making a full and proper announcement in the coming weeks".

Smitheman started in the channel in 1986 as a sales and product manager at Northamber before pitching up at Computer 2000 in March 1994, going on to hold numerous director roles at the firm.

Another move in distribution has seen Nick Lee join Northamber as finance director, weeks after he left Avnet where he was financial controller. Lee had been CFO for Europe at Bell Microproducts before it was acquired by Avnet in March 2010.

In the reseller market, Ash Merchant, sales and marketing director at Westcoast-owned reseller XMA has left the business to start his own venture.

"I can confirm Ash has left to form a consultancy business," said Alex Tatham, sales and marketing director at Westcoast, "and it was absolutely his decision," he claimed.

Reseller veteran Simon Ognall, formerly managing director at Microsoft LAR Teksys and most recently the boss at Shift F7 has joined NetApp as channel sales manager, according to his LinkedIn profile but he was unavailable to comment on his plans, which presumably include trying to get resellers to punt more storage kit.

Finally, sources tell El Reg that it is all change on deck at Lexmark UK following the departure of managing director Steve Purdy and channel boss Paul Callow.

A spokeswoman at the firm said: "Lexmark does not have any comment at this time. We are awaiting further clarification from the US. Until then, the company has requested that you refrain from publishing any copy around this subject." ®

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