CDN has learned from Ingram Micro Canada that Tim Billings, the long-time vice president of vendor management for the distributor has left the company after 16-years on the job.
Despite Ingram Canada posting double digit growth numbers after a flat start to 2013, the distributor felt a re-organization was necessary for the investment it is making in its mobility division.
Mark Snider the president of Ingram Micro Canada announced that Steve Roberts has been hired to run the mobility division starting Jan. 13th. Roberts was recently the CEO of Forum Telecom, a Miami-based mobile operator that specializes in cellular services targeting international travel markets. Roberts is a Canadian and is planning to move back to Canada for this opportunity. Roberts spent a total of 25 years of his career at Bell and Rogers before Forum and held the position of president of Rogers Ontario division.
“Roberts has the connections we were looking for. He can speak the language and is going to work with the BrightPoint crew. He is going to bring a lot of expertise to the mobility division,” Snider said.
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Underneath Roberts will be former Mobilicity executive Tony Pallazzo to handle devices and accessories for Ingram’s mobility unit. Pallazzo will report directly to Roberts.
Meanwhile Lang Moffat takes over the vendor management portion of Billings’ responsibilities. Moffat will also be in control of retail and OEMs.
Snider also told CDN that Ingram Micro has invested approximately $1.5 million to reconfigure its warehouse for mobility.
The mobility unit will not just be focused on smartphone and will include mobile device management, machine-to-machine and they will also offer unlocked Samsung Galaxy Tab devices for the channel to customize and activate for customers.
Snider also envisions that set top boxes and health-bands will be part of the mobility division.
“What we like to do is go to the customers and say here is your team and how do you want to be served,” he said.
While at Ingram Billings was responsible for developing Canada’s strategic vendor relationships, identifying key business development opportunities and enhancing the execution of vendor channel programs. In addition, he oversees the acquisition and management of all Canadian inventories, which includes overseeing contracts, budgets and planning.
During his 16 years at Ingram Canada, Billings served as vice president, North American retail sales. Under his leadership there Ingram Micro’s North American retail sales team experienced continued growth and introduced a number of innovative go-to-market programs and initiatives such as Ingram Micro’s video gaming business and a Consumers Electronics division. Billings also launched Ingram Micro’s first online retail partnership in 1999.
Prior to joining Ingram Micro in 1997, the Brock University graduate worked at Computer Associates as assistant vice president of sales.
Another area of focus for Ingram Micro is its Advanced Solutions division, said David Mason, the vice-president of sales for the distributor, based in Mississauga, Ont.
Mason told CDN that the plan for 2014 is to align vendor contacts with the customers to drive more mid-market solutions that are enterprise class in networking, storage, security, virtualization and enterprise software.