Comms Dealer

Computacenter has posted a pre-close trading update for the year ended 31 December, with adjusted pre-tax results 'anticipated to be ahead of the board's expectations' contained in a previous November trading update.

It added that group revenue for the year increased by £408m or 12% in constant currency, and by £548m or 17% on an as reported basis.

Group Services revenue increased by 7% in constant currency and by 11% on an as reported basis. Group Supply Chain revenue increased by 14% in constant currency and by 19% on an as reported basis.

UK sales increased by 9% for the year, with Services revenue increasing by 6% and Supply Chain revenue increasing by 10%. The fourth quarter was particularly strong with Services revenue up 9%, Supply Chain up 18%, with overall revenue growth of 16% - 'the best fourth quarter growth we have seen in the UK for a number of years', said Computacenter.

German revenue increased by 15% for the year overall, with Services revenue increasing by 7% and Supply Chain revenue increasing by 19%, all in constant currency. French revenue increased by 13% for the year overall, with Services revenue increasing by 15% and Supply Chain revenue increasing by 12%, again, all in constant currency.

Final results for the year will be posted by Computacenter on 13 March 2018.

SAP, which claims to be the world's third largest independent software manufacturer, has announced its new 'Cloud Accelerator Programme', a global initiative to help partners expand their cloud businesses.

Accordxing to SAP, members of the initiative will receive support developing and executing a digital marketing plan, the allocation and results-driven spend of business development funds, the expert guidance and active participation of a partner marketing advisor and more.

A spokesperson said the SAP partner's co-funded marketing plan will be put into action throughout the year, to build pipeline, gain new customers, and expand the potential of a fast-growing cloud business.

Any company with a strong commitment to invest in the cloud, demonstrated through a business plan which outlines a yearly target to grow their SME cloud business by at least 50 percent, can qualify for the program.

Federation of Communications Services Deputy Chairman Itret Latif has been appointed interim chief executive of the industry trade organisation following the departure of Chris Pateman, who retired last November.

Latif has an energy utility background and was responsible for the development and integration of the retail telecoms business for Southern Electric and subsequently SSE.

As an experienced FCS board member, he has developed an appreciation and understanding of the essential nature of Business Radio and the Installers Group on top of his understanding of the needs of the Fixed and Mobile communication community.

Latif has been invited to provide evidence to both House of Commons and House of Lords on telecoms and energy.  In his evidence to the House of Lords in 2012 he was first to identify broadband as essential service and a utility.

At the same hearing, he called for restructuring of BT with BT Openreach being separated to become legal entity owning the infrastructure and engineers. 

France-based cloud comms provider Centile has signed up Pure Cloud Solutions (PCS) as its primary UC provider to the UK reseller base. 

PCS has also selected Everything Everywhere via Transatel to enable native fixed mobile convergence provided by the Centile ISTRA platform.

One of the first outcomes of the new relationship will be the launch in Spring 2018 of Voice Anywhere, based on Centile's mobile app.

PCS is adding Centile's ISTRA platform to its existing voice, mobility, data and application integration solutions, which are designed as a one-stop-shop that includes billing, professional services, CRM, FMC, hosted services, network design, delivery and other services.

Audio visual vendor Avocor has signed a distribution agreement with Dublin-based Avitor. The distributor will focus on generating brand awareness and growing the Avocor reseller partner network.

Avitor will have access to the full range of Avocor interactive solutions, including the F series and the new-to-market E series, which will be launched to the European market at the Bett education show in late January.

Last year, UK-headquartered Avocor signed a reseller partnership agreement with Kaizen to grow the brand across the Middle East. It expanded into the US market in 2016.

Avocor is both a manufacturer and distributor of interactive touch screens, including distributing the Nureva brand in the UK. Its own flagship solution is the VTF range of interactive panels.

Following Capita's poor trading update last week the company has announced that chief operations and performance director Vic Gysin has stood down from the board with immediate effect, and will be leaving the business at the end of January.?

Gysin has been with Capita for over 16 years and on the board for over seven, having served under both previous CEOs Andy Parker and Paul Pindar.

Gysin had previously led Capita's Integrated Services Division and had been responsible for Capita's expansion across Europe, including Germany.

Running your own business can be a lonely affair. You spend most of your days and nights dealing with opportunities and threats, you don't often get much chance to sit back and contemplate the bigger picture. That's why corporate Christmas parties and awards events are in important place for partners to get together, to exchange views with peers and feel the love, writes Clive Jefferys of comms sector recruiter JMA Network.

Privately owned businesses have a very positive impact on staffing and recruitment. While the boss's door may not always be open all the time, it's generally not that far away from your desk. In huge corporates, the executive suites tend to be on the 55th floor behind steel doors that only part when someone wants to shout at you.

Yet in private companies, from the newest support tech to senior BDM or billings manager, you can mostly have your say and actually make a difference in your work.

You probably think I don't like big companies much. Well, I've done my time - ten years climbing up the greasy pole in an international company with over a thousand employees. It was one hell of a ride, but then new opportunities arose and that's how JMA came into being.

In terms of a private or corporate career, it's horses for courses.

That said, job seekers like environments that foster close working relationships.

The chance to have their say, whether they are right or not, is generally perceived to be less available in bigger companies.

The recruitment barometers are indicating that it will be very challenging for anyone wanting to hire staff in 2018. However, if candidates feel that their opinion will be respected in your company, they are far more likely to accept your job offer.

My advice is very simple - keep it private, keep it personal and keep it real.

Irish cyber security firm Integrity360 has snapped up UK IT security specialist Metadigm for an undisclosed sum.

Metadigm has been operating for more than 20 years and forecasts 2017 turnover of £3m.

Integrity360 currently operates in the UK through its London and Birmingham offices. The firm reported year on year growth of 53% in 2016 with an increase of €13m in annual turnover to €37.5m.

Integrity360 plans to increase its penetration of the UK market, driven by a twin strategy of both organic growth and acquisitions.

Integrity360 says it works with more than 300 companies in Ireland and internationally across key sectors, providing managed cyber security, incident handling, cyber risk and assurance, cyber security integration and penetration testing services.

In a trading update for the year ending 31st December 2017 Maintel has downgraded expectations to recover the reduction in gross margin in the first half of this financial year.

The Board now expects adjusted EBITDA will be in the range of £12.5m to £13m.

Maintel said that following the Azzurri acquisition two large legacy contracts have migrated away more quickly than expected, with a knock-on effect of less revenue than originally anticipated.

The Managed Services and Technology performance has been adversely impacted by delays to customer installations as a result of the Avaya Chapter 11 process. However, now the bankruptcy court has approved Avaya's reorganisation on 28th November the Group reports that ordering activity started to recover.  

And following the Intrinsic Technology acquisition, revenue contribution is said to be in line with expectations at the time of the acquisition although the gross margins achieved have been lower than anticipated. 

Arrow has extended its distribution relationship with Palo Alto Networks in the UK to support cloud security.

The continued partnership aims to ensure that Palo Alto Networks' private, hybrid and public cloud offerings will be available within Arrow's overall product portfolio.

The two companies will offer next-generation security as part of a data centre and cloud security solution to their partner and managed service provider community. Arrow will also push it's own technical services, financial services and the ArrowSphere cloud platform.