2016 Top Distributors on www.GlobalPurchasing.com
Avnet Inc., which takes the No. 1 spot again this year with $27.35 billion in sales, is “upping its game” in software, technology, and embedded offerings in response to greater demand for product and technology integration across its customer base, says Gerry Fay, global president of Avnet Electronics Marketing, the company’s global business unit focused on electronic component solutions. The technology trend crosses over into business process and digital platform issues, as well—another area on which Avnet is focused. “Digital business is becoming even more important. Customers want to create relationships with distributors online as well as offline,” says Fay, emphasizing an “omni-channel” experience that is increasingly in demand among buyers of electronic components.
Avnet’s efforts to address the converging technology issues are evident in the executive-level changes the company has made in the last six months alone. In December, the distributor announced the newly created role of chief information security officer (CISO), naming Sean Valcamp to the post. Valcamp is responsible for Avnet’s global IT security as well as enterprise architecture and strategic planning for IT. The company followed up with a January announcement that Ed Smith, president of Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas, will lead the company’s embedded solutions business worldwide as senior vice president, global embedded business, effective this July. Also in January, Avnet created its first executive-level Internet of Things position, hiring Eric Williams as vice president of IoT. Williams will work across Avnet’s technology, embedded, and electronic components businesses to develop a global IoT strategy.
Commenting on the latter position in particular, Fay emphasized the importance of a company-wide, global approach to technology issues.
“For the first time in history, we’ve hired an executive to drive a business strategy across the business,” explains Fay. “And we will continue to grow that.”
Other top distributors are focused on similar demands, especially as they relate to services. Click here to read the full article written by Victoria Fraza Kickham.
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