D-Link has appointed an Auckland-based regional channel manager, with a Christchurch appointment expected soon, as the company ‘retasks’ its team to focus more on the channel.

The changes come under the guidance of Graeme Reardon, who returned to D-Link in mid-May as ANZ regional director, nine-and-a-half years after leaving the company.

“Previously we were very focused on two business unit models: the consumer business unit model and the commercial business unit model, with staff hired to focus on either the consumer or commercial sides of the business,” Reardon says.

It’s a model he believes missed out the small business market.

“We had focused on the high-end Gen-i’s in the commercial space and in the consumer we had focused more on the national retail chains, and we hadn’t been talking to the general channel and SMB consulting channel.

“So we have retasked our team to have a customer focus, rather than product focus’, Reardon says.

The company previously employed a staff member focused ‘virtually exclusively’ on the consumer business in New Zealand, with Carla Thornton-Davey focussed on commercial business development.

“Both were very good in their roles, but we missed out the general channel.”

The new roles will both be regional channel managers.

Troy Datson started in the new Auckland-based role, this week, ‘hitting the ground running’ visiting channel partners and retail after several days in Australia.

Most recently with Asus, Datson also has experience with Harvey Norman in New Zealand and Australia, having been a franchisee for the retail chain.

Says Reardon: “He brings a lot of retail experience we hope to leverage, not only with Harvey Norman but with Dick Smith, JB Hi-Fi, Noel Leeming and the Warehouse, and the channel as well.”

Reardon hopes to have a South Island regional channel manager by early next month, with the company working with local distributor Dove to find someone based in Christchurch.

Reardon says D-Link will also be rolling out a new channel partner programme in about six to eight weeks. The current offering focuses on the commercial space.

Product relaunches are also planned, he adds.