Robinson burns the IT candle

When storage vendor Anthology Solutions went bust in September 2006, then Australia/New Zealand country manager John Robinson had to rethink his next move.

Robinson says Anthology had “done the right thing by him and
paid him what he is owed”. However, the closure came as bit of a shock and all he wanted to do was take some time off.

When Robinson heard about Kevin Hartin’s decision to leave Altech in December 2006, he saw it as an opportunity to get back into the industry. He was also not a stranger to the second-tier distributor.

Robinson’s relationship with Altech goes back to his days as country manager at AMD, in 2002. At the time Altech was an up-and-coming distributor headed out of Brisbane. The distributor also had only just opened an office in Sydney.

Altech owner Antony Sheen was more than happy to take Robinson on board and has even created a new role for him at Altech. Robinson says the role combines the national sales manager position recently vacated by Kevin Hartin and the other role oversees the national marketing activity that is headed up by Viktoria Kulikova. “The objective is to ensure there is harmony between the two prime functions of Altech’s activity and all working towards the same goal,” says Robinson.

Robinson actually started the role a couple days before Christmas and he worked through to a week past New Year. He then took a pre-planned family holiday to the Philippines for 10 days followed by five days in Hong Kong.

“I returned to Altech on 31 January. So I have worked two weeks had two weeks off and now completed another week on the job. I am almost looking forward to an ongoing arrangement like that but that would be way beyond my negotiation skills with our MD, Antony Sheen,” he smiles.

Besides honing in on his negotiation skills, Robinson also plans to refine Altech’s vendor base and a few strategic products that would align it with the distributor’s core business direction. In addition he wants to be able to expand Altech’s product portfolio into other related markets; for example he envisages growth in sales in two newly targeted markets – retail and security/surveillance – with dedicated business development resources.

Robinson’s appointment at Altech marks another notch in what has been an interesting career on both sides of the channel fence.

Prior to working for US-based Anthology Solutions as country manager A/NZ, for about 12 months, Robinson was the country manager A/NZ for components giant AMD for more than four years. He has also worked at IBM Technology Group, Microelectronics Division, as regional sales manager A/NZ for just over two years.

Broad background

Robinson’s background prior to IBM was in the electronic components distribution business. Robinson has held various roles including: managing director, BBS Electronics (two years); state manager, Hartec Limited (two years); deputy managing director and sales director, VSI Electronics, which later became Avnet (five years); and regional sales and marketing manager, A/NZ for Texas Instruments (12 years).

“Well I can honestly say the highs far outweigh the lows to the point of almost extinction of the lows. I say that while admitting to ‘workaholism’. I don’t mind working from dawn to dusk – then carrying on doing a night shift as well.”

His demanding work ethic stems from the fact that “there is very little to watch on the TV (I do try to catch up with the news) and I am not a book person. I can’t say I have had any bad employment situations. Besides, you never burn your bridges,” he says.

Robinson says the highs have definitely been the experiences he’s had working for companies large and small, local and multinational, being exposed to cultural differences, corporate practices and disciplines. And sales and marketing allow a tremendous interaction with customers, suppliers and staff.
“I have enjoyed every part of that – yes, even when the customer is wrong, they are still right, et cetera,” says Robinson.

Robinson got his first experience in the electronic components industry with a UK-based company called Plessey. The general electronics manufacturing industry was extremely buoyant in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.

“Then the proverbial hit the fan with the majority of the multinational telecommunications companies winding back or pulling out of Australia. There is still a reasonably viable local industry with automotive, industrial, gaming and security markets but these have also drastically reduced relative to 10–20 years ago,” says Robinson.

Taking the leap
His transition from electronic components to the IT industry happened when AMD offered him a position to run the business for the Australia/New Zealand region.

This was his first real experience with the PC market. Robinson describes it as a huge learning curve and has been a roller-coaster ride since then.

“It’s the kind of ride you just have to take – an absolute buzz during
the ride, and the feeling of giddiness after the finish and then do it over again,” he says.

When Robinson was younger, ‘technology’ seemed to be the emerging buzz word. He did anticipate at an early age that electronics of some sort was a good way to go, so he did a Technical Certificate course in electronics
and communications.

“That, I have to admit, is my sole tertiary qualification. I did commence a university degree in electronic engineering, but I got bored, totally distracted and diverted with earning dollars, so I left that course after 18 months and doubled my income,” Robinson says.

He did not plan for any specific career. It just happened and was by chance. Robinson’s first job after leaving school was when at the Sydney Water Board to become a draftsman.

“On my very first day on the job I was given an overwhelming number of options to choose from: survey, architectural, planning and electrical, among others. I chose electrical – then I had the option of power or electronics,” he recalls.

“I chose electronics because that sounded interesting. Little did I know at that time I was setting the path of my career for the next hundred years,” he says.

Moore’s Law
Robinson cannot single out a specific significant event in his many years in the IT industry because he believes a memorable event happens every day.
“Certainly for me, not one day goes by without something significant happening, when I am working that is,” he says.

As for the IT industry, he says it is the same old cliches that he has seen from everyone else – and all related to Moore’s Law but maybe even quicker than the 24-month turnaround, and with a few extras.

“Every 18 months, technology continues to double in performance, halve in cost. As well, every 18 months, startups, shutdowns and merges seem to double and profit margins seem to halve. And, in this supposedly electronic paperless society, paper usage also seems to double every 18 months,” he says.

While Robinson would just love to lie in bed and not have to go to work, the other side of his brain says he must have a job. It tells him: “’You have a responsibility, you have people who expect you to be there’, and that side of the brain reacts stronger than the sleepy side.”

Heart pumping
To make sure he stays healthy he plays squash three times a week. He is always in competition mode twice during midweek and once for a hard run on Saturday afternoons.

He not only enjoys the high impact rush but also the energy spend.

“After a tough game of squash I may feel exhausted in the body but my head is amazingly clear. Playing competition also aligns with my will to win. I am a poor loser, so winning a squash game is just as important to me as winning a customer order,” Robinson says.

He feels he is lucky to have a very supportive family, especially of his extensive work agenda. But the compromise has been a lifestyle where they enjoy the modest spoils and pleasures that can only come from a reasonable income stream.

“I do take my laptop on holiday, and I do also take a book. But only one gets opened, and that book will definitely get read one day, hopefully before my wine cellar is depleted.”