D-Link has split with long-serving UK and Ireland general manager Chris Davies amid suggestions that he had no place in the next growth drive.

Davies joined the networking firm in January 2007 following a long spell as sales manager at IBM. Prior to that he had a yearly stint as sales director at distributor Wick Hill and GM at Viglen.

Andrew Mulholland, D-Link's marketing manager, spoke to El Reg and confirmed the departure of his former boss. Mulholland said the local teams are now reporting to European veep Stefano Nordio.

"D-Link is committed to growing in the UK and Ireland and the change to the management team was made to reflect that," he said.

Mulholland, who joined D-Link a month after Davies, refused to comment on claims from some in the channel that sales in the UK operation were below expectation.

"During the first half of this year we grew 25 per cent and Chris did a fabulous job of driving up profits," Mulholland said.

He said D-Link is gearing up for a channel push and readying a wave of new tech releases for the start of next year.

The firm confirmed that no direct replacement for Davies would be sought, which will help to cut costs in the current climate of economic uncertainty.

Davies was unavailable for comment. ®