A former Computacenter and Insight exec has talked up distribution’s credentials as a “value provider” after being appointed to lead Westcon-Comstor’s combined UK sales business.
Olya Scekaturova today joins the cyber, networking and cloud distributor – which ranked 7th in Oxygen’s Must-Know IT Distributors and Marketplaces – in the newly created role of VP Sales UKI.
She will lead a newly integrated UKI sales operation that unites the distributor’s Westcon and Comstor teams in a single structure.
“All up for transforming the business”
Talking to IT Channel Oxygen, Scekaturova said she is looking forward to “reconnecting” with “old friends” in the channel after two years at SI Black Box.
“I’ve done VARs; I’ve done SIs, and now a distribution business,” she said.
Boasting a background in change management, Scekaturova said she will focus on how the distributor can “add more value” in areas such as managed and professional services.
“It was evident the business was really serious about transformation and evolution, and seeing what the next chapter could look like; that excited me,” she said.
“I’m all up for transforming the business and taking people on the journey.
“Ten years ago, distribution was predominantly seen as a transactional partner; now it’s more of a value provider.
“It’s not just sourcing the technology, it’s enabling the implementation of that technology, and thereafter the management of that technology,” she said, adding that Westcon’s increased involvement in hyperscaler marketplaces means it is playing a role in “orchestration” rather than just “transactional technology sourcing”.
New job for Nolan
Scekaturova’s appointment comes just days after parent Datatec sold a 5% stake in Westcon-Comstor, valuing the $5.7bn-sales outfit at $950m.
She most recently led Black Box’s EMEA business, before that holding various senior roles at Insight and Computacenter.
Her arrival sees former Westcon UKI leader John Nolan move into the role of Senior Director, Vendor Sales for Westcon-Comstor. Former Comstor UKI boss Clive Hailstone is semi-retiring, meanwhile.
“John’s working closely with me,” she said.
The reshuffle comes after Westcon-Comstor last year appointed Stéphane Reboud as Senior Vice President, Sales, Europe as part of a wider regional go-to-market shake up.
“Comstor will work alongside Westcon under the unified European operating model that will provide customers a simplified access to the platform, but also greater accountability and ownership,” Scekaturova explained.
Doug Woodburn is editor of IT Channel Oxygen
