Johannesburg, 03 May 2012
Allan Cawood has stepped down as CEO of Dimension Data Middle East and Africa (MEA) to pursue other personal and professional interests, after serving the company since 2001.
Derek Wilcocks, Managing Director of Dimension Data's wholly owned Internet Solutions business, has succeeded Cawood as CEO with immediate effect. The Group also announced that Saki Missaikos, Sales Director for Dimension Data MEA since 2003, takes over the reins as Managing Director of Internet Solutions.
Cawood first became involved with Dimension Data in 1993 when he sold a 35% stake in his company, Digital Networking Systems (DNS), to Dimension Data. In 1998, when Dimension Data acquired the balance of DNS shares and merged the company with Dimension Data Networking, Cawood was appointed the unit's Managing Director. Cawood assumed the role of CEO for Dimension Data South Africa, and later MEA, with responsibility for the Dimension Data, Internet Solutions and Plessey brands.
Wilcocks (41) is no stranger to Dimension Data. He joined the Group as founding Managing Director of Internet Solutions subsidiary, Trusted Network Solutions, in 1995. He has been the Managing Director of Internet Solutions since October 2009. Prior to this role, he held a number of executive positions during his 14 years with Dimension Data MEA, including running strategy and technology for Dimension Data.
Brett Dawson, Dimension Data's Group CEO, said: “Allan has indicated for some time that he would like to pursue other interests, and we are very thankful to him for his long, committed service to the Group. He is responsible for almost all of what we consider Dimension Data MEA today. His leadership has contributed extensively to the development and success of the Group's MEA business. During Allan's tenure as CEO, revenues grew from $427 million to $1.2 billion, and operating profits from $66 million to $118 million.
“Allan was also at the helm through the 2002/03 IT downturn and was instrumental in restructuring the business and re-energising the workforce to grow the company to its current leading position in the African and Middle East ICT markets. In addition, he was instrumental in bringing a broad-based black economic empowerment consortium to Dimension Data in early 2004, when the consortium, headed by Andile Ngcaba, purchased 25.01% in Dimension Data South Africa.
“With his excellent track record spanning over 17 years with Dimension Data, I believe Derek will successfully lead the Dimension Data MEA business into an exciting future.”
Andile Ngcaba, Chairman of Dimension Data MEA, said: “In line with Dimension Data's long-standing commitment to promote from within, the board and my executive team have unanimously concluded that Derek Wilcocks, currently Managing Director of Internet Solutions, is the candidate to succeed Allan as CEO of Dimension Data MEA. Derek is highly regarded in the industry and brings with him an outstanding track record with Dimension Data into his new role. In addition, Saki Missaikos boasts a long history with Internet Solutions, having originally joined the company in 1995.”
During his seven years at Internet Solutions, Missaikos held management positions in both sales and business development, as well as starting up a number of new business units and developing new products and solutions. He moved from Internet Solutions to Dimension Data in 2003 to head up sales, and subsequently took on responsibility for sales across the various Dimension Data brands across MEA.
Dimension Data MEA and Internet Solutions executives:
Allan Cawood - B.Com in marketing and accountancy (UNISA)
Cawood joined the Dimension Data Group in 1998. Dimension Data acquired 35% of DNS, the company he founded 10 years earlier, which grew to become South Africa's third-largest specialist networking organisation. When Dimension Data purchased the balance of DNS shares and merged the company and Dimension Data Networking into a single business unit in 1999 - the forerunner to Dimension Data Network Services - Cawood was appointed as the unit's Managing Director. In October 2001, Cawood was appointed as Chief Executive Officer for Dimension Data South Africa.
Derek Wilcocks - B.Econ.Sc; B.Sc (Hons) (Computer Science); Executive Programme in Strategy and Organisation (Stanford University); Postgraduate Professional Course, Corporate Finance (University of London)
Wilcocks joined the Dimension Data Group in 1995 as founding Managing Director of Internet Solutions' subsidiary, Trusted Network Solutions, and joined Internet Solutions a year later (1996), becoming a board member. Wilcocks has held numerous executive positions during his 16 years with the Group. In 2001, he was appointed Executive: Strategy and Technology for Dimension Data Middle East and Africa. In 2006, he assumed the position of Services Executive for the region. Wilcocks has delivered numerous talks on the difference ICT can make to developing countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Burkina Faso and Kenya.
Saki Missaikos - B.Sc. (Hons) Electrical Engineering (Wits) MBA (Edinburgh University)
Prior to this appointment, Missaikos held the position of Sales Director, Dimension Data Middle East and Africa since 2003. In addition to leading the region's sales team, Missaikos also directed the go-to-market strategy across multiple geographies in Africa and the Middle East, and the company's expansion on the African continent and the Middle East. Missaikos' career in ICT began in 1992 as a network engineer at First National Bank. In 1995, he joined The Internet Solution (now Internet Solutions) where he held various positions in sales and business development, including Director of Trusted Network Security, an IS subsidiary, and business development Director.
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