JOHANNESBURG – Two recent senior appointments at Exclusive Networks Africa are set to strengthen the management team within the South African and SADC regions of the company, a global trusted cybersecurity specialist for digital infrastructure. Exclusive Networks Africa’s solutions are sold through an extensive, reputable and solution-focused partner base across the continent.
Says Anton Jacobsz, Exclusive Networks Africa Managing Director: “We are delighted to welcome Debbie Beech as our new Country Manager for SA and SADC, as well as Broughdwin Patel in the role of Vendor Alliance Director. As a business that works with reseller partners to increase opportunities in the ever-changing technological landscape, we are aware that our executives play an integral role in shaping the organisation’s future, and their leadership is critical to ensuring the company’s continued success in the region. We welcome their energy and experience as we continue our evolution.”
As the new Country Manager for SA and SADC, Beech succeeds Stefan van de Giessen, who will remain with Exclusive Networks Africa and will continue to share his support and wealth of expertise. Van de Giessen is moving into a senior leadership position within the Group, assuming responsibility for the company’s Global Systems Integrator business across the continent.
Beech is an experienced sales and channel leader, bringing expertise in the information technology, telecommunication, finance and services industries to the table, as well as strong strategic skills and experience in sales operations and management.
Beech notes: “I have worked for companies such as Dimension Data, RT Systems, Performanta Group, and Taurus Capital Finance Group. I like to think of myself as being a big picture thinker, and always leading with business strategy. Developing and implementing strategic plans is one of my strengths.
“In this regard, I look forward to using my existing relationships and experience to implement the strategy and objectives, as required, across the region. I am also very pleased to be able to join a strong international business, which will allow us to leverage global expertise within the region – I believe this makes the company a force to be reckoned with.”
Patel clarifies: “I have spent 20 years working in the ICT space, for companies including Dimension Data, Cisco, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and iConnect Telecoms, where I worked for 13 years. I am humbled and delighted now by the opportunity to join Exclusive Networks Africa – I believe they have partnered with strong companies, offering excellent solutions. I look forward to assisting the company in gaining market share for our preferred vendor partners, and certainly foresee strong alignment between my team and Debbie’s.
“Having recently completed my Master’s Degree, I consider myself to be a ‘servant leader’ and thereby bringing a different dynamic to my colleagues and peers. I believe that people don’t do as you tell them to do, but as they see you doing – and so therefore it is important to me to be seen leading from the front.”
Adds Jacobsz: “We are delighted to have Debbie and Broughdwin join us as part of our executive team – they will strengthen our leadership within the channel and vendor spaces. I look forward to their ongoing efforts as Exclusive Networks Africa continues to expand its presence in the region. It has been a wonderful experience, to date, for our company to have merged with a global and listed company, and thereby able to create an even larger presence across Africa.
“As Jeff Bezos, the American founder of Amazon – the world’s largest e-commerce and cloud computing company – has noted: ‘What’s dangerous is not to evolve[1].’ We are tremendously proud of our progress to date, and look forward to continuing to expand our African footprint,” he concludes.
