Altron, which was recently successful in its R1.8 billion bid to buy out minority shareholders in Altech, has released more details around its restructuring.
The group last week announced the development of a new division called Altron TMT (Telecommunications, Multi-media and IT), to be headed up by Craig Venter, currently CEO of Altech.
Altron TMT comprises Altech and Bytes Technology Group (Bytes) with a joint head office in Woodmead, Johannesburg. The companies will remain as separate entities while maintaining their individual brands.
The development of the Altron TMT division means that Altron will now be the largest privately owned converged solutions provider on the African continent, says Altron.
"The Altron TMT division will assist the business in accelerating business growth opportunities through cross and upselling which is in line with our broad strategy of optimising utilisation and further monetisation of existing assets. We currently estimate the total wallet size for additional revenues from our existing products and customer base to be significant," Venter says.
In order to reduce overlaps and provide a more focussed offering to customers, various assets are planned to be transferred from the previous Altech IT division and consolidated under Bytes. These are primarily in the payment solutions and systems integration business areas.
Likewise, the telecom infrastructure and Internet service provider (ISP) assets in Bytes will be transferred to Altech in due course creating a new division, Altech Infrastructure Solutions.
Venter, Altron's group executive for TMT, today released further details pertaining to his division's management and structure. He said Altech has a "tremendous" telecommunications and IT heritage and is strong in the markets in which it operates, while Bytes has equally strong IT capabilities.
"Putting these two groups together creates a formidable organisation, with tremendous power and potential in the TMT environments."
After the restructure and asset transfers Altron TMT will have a new management team that acts as a support structure and two executives responsible for operations which will be in the telecoms and multimedia/electronics area and the technology area.
Telecoms and Multimedia/Electronics will be led by Laurence Savage and will house Altech Netstar, Altech Autopage GSM and ISP, Altech Radio Holdings and Altech Infrastructure Solutions. Multimedia/Electronics will include Altech UEC/Multimedia and Arrow Altech Distribution.
Rob Abraham will head up the Technology unit, which will comprises Bytes Core Business Software, Bytes Managed Solutions, Bytes Payments Solutions, Bytes Healthcare Solutions, Bytes People Solutions, Bytes Document Solutions and Bytes UK.
Venter explains that the arrangement of the Altron TMT business units and the appointed management team has been "meticulously" planned and is the culmination of an enormous amount of collaboration between all stakeholders to ensure that the synergies between the businesses perform optimally.
Altron TMT management
The management of Altron TMT includes:
Craig Venter: appointed as Altron Group Executive: TMT with strategic and operating responsibility for maximising the synergies between the Altech and Bytes businesses. Hewill continue to fulfil his existing role as Altech CEO and will report to Altron CE, Robert Venter.
Laurence Savage: will retain his current position as Altech COO. Rob Abraham: will remain a member of the Altron executive committee and the Altron board and retain his current position as Bytes CEO.
Johan Klein: appointed as Altron TMT executive for corporate services will be responsible for human resources, marketing, public relations and corporate communications, government solutions, corporate affairs and commercial and special projects.
Peter Riskowitz: current CFO of Bytes, will assume the role of Altron TMT: CFO reporting to Venter.
Andrew Holden: current group executive: strategy and operations at Bytes, appointed as Altron TMT executive for shared services responsible for reducing duplication of resources in the new structure.
Tim Ellis: appointed as Altron TMT executive of business development responsible for new opportunities and strategic account management including opportunities for cross and upselling.
John Carstens: will remain as Altech CFO and will report directly to Venter until May 2014 when he will take retirement. During this period, he will progressively hand over his responsibilities to Peter Riskowitz.
Peter Curle: will remain as Altech executive for corporate finance and will report directly to Venter until May 2014 when he will take retirement.
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