DNA Connect merges with PushPull Marketing

DNA Connect has merged business operations with PushPull Marketing as it continues to move beyond its networking roots.

The merger brings IT channel expertise to the distie, with former key Alstom IT and Avnet figures and PushPull Marketing directors Laurie Sellers, Paul Sadler and Rick Marks joining the DNA Connect board.

PushPull Marketing's Laurie Sellers was the managing director of Alstom Information Technology, which became itX Group Limited in 2004 and was later floated in 2007 and sold to Avnet in 2011.

Paul Sadler was head of marketing for Alstom IT, itX and Avnet and Rick Marks was general manager, commercial.

The three established IT channel agency PushPull Marketing after the integration of itX and Avnet was completed in late 2012.

Paul Sadler joins DNA Connect as marketing director, while Laurie Sellers has the role of chairman and Rick Marks will be a non-executive director.

PushPull Marketing had partnered with DNA Connect to help the distie extend its channel reach and formalise its channel programs. As time went on, DNA Connect executive director Munsoor Khan said there were a "lot of synergies".

“With the consolidation that’s going on in the channel at the moment, and in particular within the distribution landscape, we felt the time was right to expand the senior management team to help drive the business forward."

The merger allows DNA Connect to add "agency-style" marketing services to its CustomerConnect lead generation program.

Khan said the distie is on the hunt for more tier one vendors, following news in July that it had taken on Huawei. 

“We've traditionally been known as a networking distributor but this has changed as we moved into the Big Data and Analytics space and experienced tremendous growth since partnering with Splunk," he said.

“We’re particularly seeking vendors that will complement our existing business including some of the Tier 1 hardware and software vendors who are looking for a distributor with very strong technical skills and an ability to create opportunities for the reseller channel."

"We’re also actively seeking new vendors to complement our Big Data product portfolio," Khan said.