Insight sales veep Akkerman resigns

Insight Enterprises veep of sales Olaf Akkerman has resigned less than a year after moving into the role.

Sources close to the firm reckon he was pushed after a tough second calendar quarter, but this has been categorically denied by the reseller.

"I can confirm with sincere regret that Olaf is leaving Insight," said Stuart Fenton, president of EMEA and Asia Pacific. "We wanted him to stay but he decided to resign".

Although unable to go into specific numbers, Fenton told El Reg that any notions that Akkerman was "anything but successful were untrue".

"Sales continue to exceed our expectations and we feel very comfortable with the UK business," he said, but was unable to expand on reasons for the departure.

Channel veteran Akkerman joined Insight through its acquisition of Software Spectrum in September 2006. He had been UK and Ireland country manager, but became sales director for the enterprise and software group at the new owner.

He was made veep of sales in September last year, managing 350 sales staff in the UK but sources close to the man suggested that he would prefer a return to a pure enterprise software and services business.

Prior to his role at Software Spectrum, Akkerman was sales director for services at public sector reseller Civica, and before that Microsoft sales manager at CCAT Ltd.

It is not clear if Akkermann has another role lined up.

Akkermann refused to comment. ®