Computer 2000 has lured Stewart Hayward, former head of UK marketing at rival Ingram Micro's as GM for its marketing function.

Hayward left Ingram late last month after nearly two years at Milton Keynes-based Ingram but picks up the reins today at Basingstoke-based C2000, the UK arm of Tech Data.

Andy Dow, who remains as marketing director at C2000, told The Channel the creation of the new GM of marketing role was a nod to increased demand from vendors for wholesalers to boost lead generation activities.

"The big driving force for the whole industry is still the mid-market and SMB, vendors are tasking us to build relationships with resellers at that end of the market," he said.

The big tech makers are paying distributors to tap into the sprawling mass of smaller resellers they do not directly manage, and use their marketing muscle to drum up business.

Hayward will oversee a team of 23 marketing bods and said the grand plan is to lean on C2000's sales and marketing tools including Tech Select to bolster biz.

Prior to Ingram Micro, Hayward was sales and marketing director of Surrey-based reseller WStore, which was acquired by Systemax in 2010. ®