Datatec has poached IBM's Rikke Helms to head its Logical arm. Helms will join the South African-based networking group as chief executive of the Slough division this summer. She will help develop Logical's e-business system. Helms joins from Big Blue where she helped steer IBM toward its emphasis on ecommerce as VP of ecommerce solution management. Helms has five years at IBM under her belt, also handling the Lotus and Tivoli mergers in 1998. She previously worked at Borland and handled its merger with fellow database company Aston Tate in 1991. Helms' experience will fit well with Datatec's plans, as the group has shown itself to be keen on pushing growth through acquisition in the UK. Born in Denmark, Helms speaks five languages and lives in Berkshire. She will take gardening leave before taking up her new position, a Datatec representative said. Datatec saw sales leap 383 per cent to $1 billion for the year ended 31 March, it announced last week. Operating profit jumped 453 per cent to $69 million. ®