Change at the top of Exclusive Networks

Exclusive Networks has announced a major change at the top of the organisation, with the channel player deeming that now is the right time to bring some fresh blood into the CEO position.

Olivier Breittmayer will move from the chief executive position to become a non-executive board member, with the distributor bringing in Jesper Trolle as CEO with immediate effect.

Trolle joins from ECS Arrow Electronics, where he has been president of the Americas, and will work alongside Breittmayer over the next three months in a transition period.

His CV includes 28 years’ industry experience, including time at a reseller, before moving into distribution with the founding of Next Denmark A/S in 2001. That was acquired by DNS Denmark and then by Arrow and for the last 15 years he has held a number of roles at the firm, including running North-West Europe, before heading across the Atlantic.

Trolle joins a firm that has been in growth mode under Breittmayer’s leadership, with 20-plus acquisitions struck in the past decade and a half, and to an organisation that is now operating on a global basis. This month alone, the firm has struck two deals, to purchase Veracomp to strengthen its position in Central and Eastern Europe and Hong Kong-based JJNEt to expand its operations in Asia.

Breittmayer said he had started to think about stepping back earlier this year and had spoken to the board to make sure they were happy with the decision. “The business is good and we continue to grow and we have a good management team and organisation, so that was the right timing,” he said.

“It is important now to have someone on board who will continue to develop the company. We need some new blood to continue to be as active as we were in the past – and Jesper is the right guy for that.”

Trolle said he had watched Exclusive continue to grow and become a global competitor in the industry and was entering the CEO position of an organisation heading in the right direction. “I am joining at a time when there is a very solid foundation and the team have built an amazing business,” he said.

“I can apply my experience from international and bigger business and it is an opportunity to accelerate that journey.”

Breittmayer will move into his non-executive board position with the thanks of the firm’s leadership team ringing in his ears.

“The business has consistently outperformed market growth rates, expanded at breathtaking speed and delivered financial results that are exceptional for the sector,” said Michail Zekkos, partner at Permira, and a member of Exclusive’s board of directors.

“This is a great platform from which Jesper can continue the adventure and scale out the business, and with his vision, multicultural background and experience of growth at scale, we feel confident he is more than able to meet the challenge.”