Darren Spence says he wants to inject some “sizzle” into distribution as he begins his new role as Northamber Group Managing Director following a “30-year interview”.
Spence started this morning as Group Managing Director of the AIM-listed outfit, which styles itself as the UK’s longest-running distributor.
Most recently CRO of AI start-up Smartbox.ai, Spence’s CV also includes stints heading up reseller Bytes Document Solutions and consultancy business Boost.
“I haven’t yet had a senior role in distribution,” he told IT Channel Oxygen.
“So it feels like it’s been a 30-year job interview I’ve finally passed.”
“I don’t think distribution sizzles”
Founded in 1980 and ranking 26th in Oxygen’s 2025 Must-Know UK IT Distributors and Marketplaces, Northamber has made five acquisitions in the last two years.
“What really attracted me is how [Executive Chairman] Alex Phillips and his team have done a fantastic job over the last five years buying some superb distribution companies – not just in the UK but overseas including in Ireland and Benelux,” Spence said.
“What this job is all about is looking across the group to really bring this company together.
“I don’t think distribution is the part of the channel that sizzles, and I think that’s a misunderstanding of what distributors are there to do.
“I want to change that perception of distribution, or certainly Northamber.
“My first few days is going to be meeting the team, seeing what’s working well, and then coming up with some ideas to put some excitement into the business, and – most importantly – update the reseller channel on the great new products and services Northamber has to offer.”
“I see this as almost a carbon copy”
Northamber branded its fiscal 2025 a “year of deliberate transition” as it exited lower-margin vendor lines.
It spent the year focused on “reshaping” itself into a more scalable business with broader geographic reach and a “more disciplined economic model”.
Northamber in December snapped up Nuvias UC’s £29m-revenue hardware arm, building on early 2025 acquisitions of Benelux duo Epatra and Sahara and 2024 conquests of Tempura and Renaissance Contingency Services.
“Because Northamber has got such a long pedigree, I think some other distributors in recent years have grabbed the headlines – Hayley [Roberts] is doing a great job at Distology,” Spence said.
“Talking to Alex and the team, they’re excited about this next phase – I think we’re at this inflection point now where some great acquisitions have been made. Now’s the time to really look at what we have and work out how to best get this message out to the resellers – and I think that’s the bit that perhaps has been lost.
“It’s quite similar to the job I did when I took on the role of Managing Director of Bytes Document Solutions. It had acquired four Xerox resellers and my job was to do the same thing – look across the group, find out what’s working and amplify them.
“I see this as almost a carbon copy, but in distribution.”
“Darren brings the operational focus, commercial discipline and leadership capability needed to achieve our goals to be a proactive, value-add distributor across AV, unified communications, cyber security and network infrastructure – recognised for our relationships, service and knowledge in our focus areas. We’re delighted to welcome him on board,” stated Phillips.
Doug Woodburn is editor of IT Channel Oxygen
