Hitachi launches new A/NZ division

Storage vendor Hitachi Data Systems has formed a Business Consulting Practice for Australia and New Zealand to enable firms to improve the value of their storage investments.

The Business Consulting Practice offers strategic planning and operational best practices that diffuse the economic, risk and management overheads associated with storage growth and complexity.

The vendor outlined the five keys areas the practice will focus on as: data lifecycle management (DLM); storage economics; service management; consolidation and virtualisation, and business continuity and risk.

The team is led by Michael Cunningham, director of consulting and solutions in Australia and New Zealand. Formally the director of solutions and support services, Cunningham has been with the company for five years and in his last position built the Professional Services Practice from a standing start.

In addition to Cunningham, the team includes four new principal business consultant appointments: Paul Louis, Paul MacPherson, Greg Cetinich and Paul Bicknell.

“Our new consulting practice confirms our role as a strategic business partner to our customers. Now with a dedicated team of considerable experience across diverse industries, we will continue to work with organisations across ANZ to assist them in achieving the highest level of return on their storage investment,” said Cunningham.

“The combined expertise of Hitachi’s Business Consulting team means that our customers have access to the highest calibre of strategic consultants to help them make technology decisions that drive business results and save them money,” he added.