Acer's Aussie partners cast vote on management reshuffle

Acer partners have told CRN that the PC marker's return to form will depend on its strength through the channel.

The PC maker announced yesterday that Australian managing director Charles Chung will retire, with sales director Darren Simmons stepping up to the top job.

Beata Koropatwa, chief executive of Acer's biggest commercial partner in Asia Pacific, Auslaser, told CRN that Simmons was "the right person to take over".

"Given that Darren has been at the company quite some time, he is an established executive. It is my belief that it is a natural succession that Darren would have take over any way.

"Operationally he is a very good guy in his field and personally, he is certainly a leader," added Koropatwa.

Harry Ozguven, director of Acer reseller The Laptop Factory, told CRN that among the PC makers, Acer had always been a strong supporter of the channel.

"It's 100% correct. They really support the channel. When Acer supports channel partners, channel partners support Acer – it works both ways.

"When partners say we are in trouble, Acer is always there to help. Speaking to Darren, he will do what ever he can to help move the stock, he is business minded, his strategy always works well. I know Darren is damn good," added Ozguven.

He said that Acer was not the problem, the market was.

"Acer has been doing well for me and we have a great relationship. Unfortunately the IT department is a bit slow lately so business – not just Acer, the whole industry – has been slow."

Another long-term partner, Brian Evans from ACT-based Dataflex, said he supported Simmons' promotion.

Evans, who spent more than three years as national sales manager for government for Acer, told CRN: "Darren is savvy. He knows how to write business. He gets it. Some of the best business people I know are from Acer because at Acer, you have to sell."

He called Acer a "totally channel-focused" company, saying the vendor is "the only company I work with where I am not looking over my shoulder to tell if they are going direct or not".

Dataflex hired one of Acer's most senior managers, Michael Cefai, as southern region manager in June 2012.

Cefai had spent 22 years with the PC maker, most recently as Acer's general manager of corporate, government and education sales.

His claims to fame at Acer included growing its education and government business to a $180 million and winning "the second-largest notebook contract in the world" for the Department of Education Victoria with a sale of 37,000 units worth $100 million in 1998.

It is expected that Cefai's departure would have had a major impact on Acer's government, education and corporate business, especially in Melbourne.

Drifting away from channel

Another long-term reseller, Syd Borg of PCS Australia, told CRN that Acer had been drifting away from the channel – to its detriment.

He said Acer's direct kiosks within shopping malls had been "a complete loss".

Borg expects more changes to come at the vendor.

"One comment I would make is that Acer needs to re-engage with the channel again because I believe they have lost touch. I am very optimistic, it will be a good change and the relationship between Acer and PCS will only get stronger after 18 years."

Paul Doherty, director of Learning with Technologies, told CRN: "We are one of the largest Acer partners in Australia and we are perfectly happy with the change.

"Darren will be good for the company. He understand the business, he has been with Acer a long time.

"Charles has retired on medical grounds, he has done a good job with the company over years and good luck for him," added Doherty.