01732 759725 40 PEOPLE continued... Simon Saffidine Evolve Shaun Lynn Sota Tom Read Serco Shaun Lynn appointed Chairman of Sota Managed Service Provider and Infrastructure specialist Sota is preparing for its next phase of growth by appointing Shaun Lynn as its new Chairman in place of former Executive Chairman Paul Cowham. Sota will continue to be led by Managing Director Andrew Symons and Financial Director Ben Smoker, who together have guided the company to record levels of turnover, profitability, headcount and customer satisfaction. Previously CEO of Agilitas, Lynn brings a wealth of experience to Sota and a track record in implementing organic and acquisitive growth strategies. Symons said: “Shaun’s entrepreneurial prowess, sector experience and inspirational leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow our service offerings and expand our market presence. His vision aligns perfectly with our commitment to innovation and excellence in IT services.” Sota provides IT services to businesses of all sizes, including 24/7 managed IT support through a global service desk and operations centre located on the Kent Science Park campus. .... Read joins Serco from Cabinet Office Serco, a provider of services to Governments around the world, has appointed Tom Read to the new position of Group Chief Digital and Technology Officer. As a member of the Serco Group Executive Committee, he will oversee the company’s digital and cybersecurity strategy, IT infrastructure and adoption of new technology platforms. Read was previously CEO and Director General of the Government Digital Service (GDS) within the Cabinet Office. Before People that he spent four years as Chief Digital Officer at the Ministry of Justice and Chief Technology Officer at the Department of Business and the Cabinet Office. A Fellow of the British Computer Society, Read was also previously Head of Applications at Guardian News & Media and a technical specialist at Lloyds TSB. www.serco.com .... Simon Saffidine new CTO at Evolve In the latest in a series of senior appointments, Evolve, the Wigan-based provider of Managed Network Solutions and IT services, has announced Simon Saffidine as Chief Technology Officer. Saffidine was previously Director of Technical Transformation at ANS Group, where he oversaw the integration of software and processes and acted as the technical lead for acquisitions. Prior to that, he was Technical Director at UKFast. Evolve CEO Alan Stephenson-Brown said: “We are thrilled to welcome Simon to our executive team. He is an accomplished IT professional with a proven track record of delivering tailored IT and managed network solutions. His extensive experience and leadership will be instrumental as we continue to innovate and deliver exceptional value to our customers.” www.evolvebg.co.uk .... AI experience a clincher for Ultima Ultima Business Solutions, a provider of cloud, security, digital workspace, AI and automation solutions and services, has hired Jamie Beaumont as its new Chief Financial Officer. A graduate of Oxford University and a Chartered Accountant, Beaumont has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions and growth businesses in diverse industry sectors including residential property, furniture, AI and speech recognition. Ultima CEO Scott Dodds said: “Jamie has a proven track record of delivering financial excellence, driving growth and creating value for businesses. His experience in the value and application of AI is key to Ultima’s vision and strategy. Jamie will be a great asset to our leadership team as we continue to expand and innovate our portfolio of solutions and services.” .... Phil Brown to lead sales at TD SYNNEX UK&I Phil Brown, UK Commercial Director at SCC, is to join TD SYNNEX as Vice President Sales, UK and Ireland, commencing on September 1, 2024. Brown brings more than 25 years’ experience to the role, including three years at SCC, more than a decade within the IT distribution sector, five years in key roles at Samsung and ASUS and eight years at Computer 2000 (acquired by Tech Data in 2013). David Watts, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director, UK and Ireland at TD SYNNEX, said: “Phil brings great experience, knowledge and integrity to our UK&I board and sales team. Having worked right across the channel in key roles within vendor, distributor and partner companies, he has a broad understanding and deep experience of channel sales and product marketing.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ .... Lantech hires Service Operations Manager Award-winning IT support services provider Lantech is capping a year of growth with the appointment of Ian McGarvey as Service Operations Manager. McGarvey has over 25 years of experience in support, service delivery and operations management across diverse sectors, including tech multinationals, public sector education, financial services/ BPOs and MSPs. In 2023, Lantech boosted revenues by 30%, propelled by growth of 40% in cloud services and a doubling of revenue in cybersecurity services. It also increased its headcount by 15%, with a notable expansion of its London office. https://www.lantech.ie/about Wavenet’s Grannum to lead combined business Following completion of its acquisition of Daisy Corporate Services, Wavenet has announced the departure of Daisy CEO Neil Thompson and the appointment of existing CEO Philip Grannum to lead the combined business. Wavenet Chairman Bill Dawson will retain his current role on the new Wavenet board, with Daisy Chairman Matthew Riley joining as Non-Executive Director. Grannum said: “The completion of the deal to combine Wavenet and Daisy Corporate Services marks a significant step forward in creating the UK’s largest independent IT managed services and security provider. By combining our strengths, resources and expertise, we are poised to create a stronger and more innovative organisation, well positioned to maximise on the rising tide markets of cyber, cloud and intelligent communications.” He added: “We can confirm that the new business will operate as Wavenet. This will bring our businesses together under one unified brand distinct from other parts of the Daisy Group that were not part of this deal.” www.wavenet.co.uk • www.daisyuk.tech Philip Grannum
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