Kelway founder and CEO Phil Doye steps out of role

Exclusive The brand swap isn't the only major change happening at the London-based Kelway – company founder and CEO Phil Doye is stepping down from daily operational duties, El Chan can reveal.

The services-based reseller was acquired by the world's largest tech dealer CDW in July, and much of the senior management has remained in place, until now.

Doye today sent a memo to staff confirming – as we exclusively revealed last week – that the Kelway brand is to be retired in favour of CDW on April 4, but "ahead" of this he said he wanted to update them on his future.

"Following the completion of the transaction last summer, I decided to assume less of a day-to-day operational role and as a result moved off the Kelway leadership team, passing much of what I had been doing as UK CEO to Dan Laws."

"Now is the right time to complete this transition and step out of the role of CEO," he added.

Company veteran Laws will remain as UK MD and also take on responsibility for "expanded international" duties. Doye will still act in an advisory role, but he won't have to set the alarm for an early start each day of the week.

Doye revealed in the memo he'd spent the past half a year with customers, partners, "as well as providing input and support to CDW and the KLT around international strategy and acquisitions."

Senior figures in the channel have pondered how long Doye would remain at a business he founded in 1990 and built to £600m plus, but one that he no longer has ultimate control of.

Doye said in his valedictory memo the business "continues to take market share" by "winning new customers" and beefing up sales to existing ones.

"I look forward to continuing to meet with customers and to providing input and advice to the leadership team. As a significant long-term CDW shareholder I am excited to see that the global platform we are creating is resonating with the market."

The annual sales kick-off takes place on Friday – April Fools' Day – and though Doye will not be speaking, he will be in attendance, he revealed in the missive. ®