Technology group Tarsus has appointed Anton Herbst as its CEO with effect from March, replacing Miles Crisp, who resigned earlier this month.
The company says Herbst brings to the role more than two decades of leadership experience in the ICT distribution industry, starting his career at Tarsus 20 years ago, when it was known as MB Technologies.
In a statement, it says between 2001 and 2011, Herbst was managing director of Advanced Channel Technologies (ACT), a company within the Tarsus group that focused on the distribution of printer consumables and accessories.
It says under Herbst’s leadership, ACT grew from a start-up into a billion-rand enterprise.
“Anton is passionate about people, particularly the people of Tarsus. He has been a key driver of the winning culture and strategy within Tarsus, and knows the distribution business inside out. His wealth of channel experience, strategic acumen and intimacy with our business means he is an ideal person to lead the group in the next stage of its development,” says Lawrence Barnett, chairman of the Tarsus group board.
Herbst is now expected to lead the buyout discussion with Alviva, another JSE-listed technology group.
Tarsus, a value-added technology distributor, representing global hardware, software and information security brands, is in the middle of the takeover deal, which is expected to be concluded soon.
Established in 1985, the Tarsus group has two main operating subsidiaries: Tarsus Distribution, which owns the South African, Botswana and Namibian IT distribution operations; and Tarsus on Demand, which operates a cloud solutions business.
It was valued at R185.5 million as at 28 February 2020, the amount which Alviva offered to take over the company.
Alviva said the Tarsus deal was motivated by its plans to expand the current IT distribution businesses into the retail customer segment where it has limited exposure.
Tarsus’s cloud business is significantly larger than that of Alviva’s and the latter’s growth plans into Africa also stimulated the takeover, as Tarsus’s African business exceeds R670 million revenue.
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