Nimans’ Chairman Julian Niman hailed Steve’s arrival as the ‘final piece of the jigsaw’ and said: “This was a pivotal role to fill and we have been patient and diligent in finding the ideal person. Steve’s pedigree and profile within the whole of the telecoms industry is virtually unsurpassed. His expertise and personality fit in perfectly with our team.”
Steve, former Sales & Marketing Director of Rocom, took a break from telecoms to concentrate on building up a property portfolio following last year’s sale of the company to ATC. He says he was tempted back by Nimans’ ‘dedication and commitment to the dealer channel – as well as the huge opportunities the Manchester-based company is now poised to exploit’.
“I was part of Rocom for five years and played an integral role in the sale. When I left and began working in property I kept in touch with people in the industry and it became clear to me that only one distributor was emerging as being truly dealer focused and becoming stronger in this area - and that was Nimans. This is the biggest single reason for me being attracted back into the industry.
“For too long many distributors have focused solely on looking after their own interests. It has become fashionable for them to grow their business at the expense of their competitors. Nimans recognise there is a great opportunity to develop the industry and at the same time move forward itself and we are not interested in share shifting.
“We understand the need to grow the total industry as opposed to just growing our share of the business and our aim is to align ourselves to our suppliers and grow their total businesses as opposed to just growing our share of their business,” he remarked.
“Nimans now has a strong board and a very formidable management team in place coupled with the most solid financial position in distribution”, says Paula Gillings, Nimans’ Managing Director. “This financial strength coupled with our acclaimed warehousing and logistics operation and the knowledgeable and respected individuals already in place provides Nimans with the perfect platform to accelerate further forward, building on our 2006 record turnover of £56 million.”
Steve’s return is welcomed by many including Plantronics Director Rory Lavelle who said: “Plantronics is delighted with the news. Nimans is a significant partner for Plantronics; Steve has an excellent track record of success in the telecoms market and so we see this move as an excellent step forward in the progression of Nimans business with Plantronics.” Phil Jones, B2B Account Director at BT has known Steve for around 20 years and regards him in the highest esteem. “Steve is a top guy, great company and someone who knows the industry inside out. He is highly respected by all suppliers and will be a great asset for Nimans.”
Steve, who lives in Harrogate, has been associated with the telecoms and IT industries all his life, previously employed for 10 years with Canon as a Director, having moved from BT. He says he is looking forward to developing existing business relationships and seeking out new opportunities.