Tech Data announced that David Watts has been promoted to the role of senior vice president, UK and Ireland.
As part of a planned leadership change, Watts extends his current role as operational leader of Tech Data’s UK and Ireland business to assume the strategic development responsibilities previously held by Andy Gass. Gass continues in Tech Data’s European leadership team with an expanded role.
Watts joined Computer 2000 – which later became Tech Data UK&I – in 1998 and initially held positions in sales and management before becoming general manager of the PC division in 2003. Subsequently, he joined Samsung Electronics as head of ita UK display division before returning to Tech Data in 2007 as commercial director. He was appointed managing director, UK and Ireland, in an acting capacity in 2016 before taking the role permanently in February 2018.
Patrick Zammit, president, Europe, Tech Data said: “David is a highly capable leader who has built a remarkable career with Tech Data, having joined us in a junior role 23 years ago. As managing director, UK&I, he has built strong relationships inside our business and throughout the UK and Ireland markets, while developing and empowering our high performing team to better serve the needs of vendors, partners and end customers, something that I know will continue following this promotion.”
Watts stated: “It’s an honour to lead the UK and Ireland team. Everyone at Tech Data is fully dedicated to helping our partners and suppliers to grow and develop their businesses while supporting them in addressing the many challenges they face, particularly at this time. I want to thank Andy for his tremendous support and guidance over the past five years.”
Gass will now focus fully on his role as leader of Tech Data’s digital transformation in Europe, enhancing and digitising core go-to-market capabilities and implementing Tech Data’s commercial excellence strategy across the region. He also serves as European head for Tech Data’s global programme to simplify, standardise and synchronise key business processes and systems.
Zammit said: “I would like to thank Andy for his outstanding contribution in leading Tech Data’s UK and Ireland business these past several years. During his tenure, he has successfully developed and executed a differentiated, partner-centric and value-driven strategy, growing sales, market share and profitability to establish Tech Data as a leading distributor in UK and Ireland.
“Andy is a respected and recognised thought leader in the IT market with a long track record in driving innovation at Tech Data. I am delighted that he will now dedicate himself fully to bringing the benefits of digital transformation both to our organisation and to our IT ecosystem partners. Putting someone of Andy’s experience and stature in charge of our digital and commercial excellence efforts underlines the strength of our strategic commitment in these areas.”
Gass added: “With David’s promotion, Tech Data’s UK and Ireland business is in highly experienced and capable hands. Looking ahead, the wave of digital transformation happening across our industry brings huge opportunity for businesses to become more targeted, more personalised and more efficient. Tech Data is set to be at the forefront of bringing these benefits to the IT channel and I’m very excited to be driving our strategy in this area.”
