Tech Data Renames TDMobility, Expands Presence in Mobile Arena

Global distribution behemoth Tech Data (TECD) has relaunched its mobile business and renamed it Tech Data Mobile Solutions, in the hopes of growing its presence further in the mobile arena.

Rod Millar, former president of Tech Data Mobile in Europe and now senior vice president of Tech Data Mobile Solutions, will lead the business formerly known as TDMobility. Other key players include Heather Murray, vice president of Tech Data Mobile Solutions, who is responsible for the sales, marketing and operational functions of Tech Data’s mobile business in the United States. Both have extensive experience working in Tech Data’s mobile divisions; Murray, for one, has helped lead the company’s U.S. mobile strategy since the formation of TDMobility.

“We’ve had a rich history of operating in a large-scale global business across the globe,” said Joe Quaglia, Tech Data president, Americas, in an interview with The VAR Guy. “Rod just adds another level of expertise and skill in the Americas region that we didn’t have before.”

TDMobility was formed as a U.S. joint venture between Tech Data and Brightstar Corp. in April 2011, and in November of last year the distributor acquired Brightstar’s 50 percent ownership interest in TDMobility.

“Mobile products and solutions continue to be a strategic focus for Tech Data throughout our worldwide operations,” said Bob Dutkowsky, Tech Data CEO, in a prepared statement. “This new organizational structure further solidifies our commitment to the growing mobile space and better aligns our resources to this important component of our company strategy.”

Tech Data is not the only company that has sat up and taken notice of growing mobile opportunities. For instance:

• Canalys recently released a report on the growing importance of tablets in the slumping PC market, and major players including Lenovo and Samsung have exercised a renewed focus on their tablet and smartphone lines.
• VMware (VMW) recently acquired AirWatch, a popular mobile management and security provider. 

For VARs, the large-scale shift to mobile products and services could be lucrative as users continue to lean toward smaller and more portable computing devices as well as cloud-based programs such as desktop as a service (DaaS).

According to Quaglia, Tech Data’s new mobile division will mean added convenience for VARs by simplifying the complexity of mobility between multiple cellular carriers and allowing those resellers to create their own mobile businesses. This, in turn, will allow Tech Data to continue growing its VAR partner base and expanding the channel as a whole.

“We have the largest mobility line card than anyone else in distribution,” Quaglia said. ”When you think of Tech Data Mobile Solutions, we’re not talking about how we began, but how we’ve evolved.”