Westcon Taps B2B Pro, Ex-Dell Exec as New Chief

Distributor Westcon Group has dipped into the B2B and logistics services industry to appoint Dolph Westerbos to its chief executive slot effective Jan. 1, 2014, succeeding Dean Douglas, who’s leaving the company after a nearly five-year stint at the helm.

Westerbos is a 20-year veteran in B2B services and channels, who most recently served as Asia Pacific and EMEA group president for Brambles and its CHEP subsidiary, a publicly held, Sydney, Australia-based company specializing in pallet and container pooling solutions and related logistics services. He is regarded as a specialist in B2B services, supply chain and asset management and business process outsourcing.

In succeeding Douglas, Westerbos has big shoes to fill. Douglas, who is leaving for what Westcon described as “another business opportunity,” is a highly regarded IT executive with more than 30 years of industry experience under his belt, including telecommunications and wireless expertise.

Westcon is banking on Westerbos’ B2B services, operations and emerging market experience to pick up where Douglas left off and then some. Westerbos is tasked with building Westcon’s value-added distribution profile beyond the company’s current $4 billion in sales and extending its reach in growth markets.

“Dolph has a great track record of managing organizations that couple premier technology-based solutions and services, built on strong operational capabilities,” said Jens Montanana, Datatec chief executive. Westcon is Datatec’s IT distribution subsidiary. “Combined with his global background and experience in emerging markets, this makes him a great fit to take Westcon’s market leadership even further.”

Westerbos is credited with generating some $2 billion in services revenue at Brambles and leading the company’s market strategy, product development and global customer organizations. His background also includes a four-year stint at Dell starting in 2006 as Netherlands managing director and progressing to Western Europe Channels director and ultimately EMEA Solutions and Services vice president.

While at Dell, Westerbos was credited with guiding its managed services, consulting and data center products business to some $2.5 billion in sales and establishing the vendor’s channel business in Western Europe.

Before Dell, Westerbos held a 12-year tenure at BPO specialist ModusLink (MLNK) in management, operations, technology and sales roles.

“Westcon’s success is based on an ability to deliver real-world technology solutions and services that target the most difficult challenges facing the data center, network, security, and unified communications marketplaces,” said Westerbos. “I’m excited to be joining the company at this pivotal time to accelerate its next stage of growth.”