David Gage - Managing Director, Westcon-Comstor Australia
Westcon-Comstor has appointed David Gage as new Managing Director in Australia, with the industry veteran replacing the New Zealand-bound Dave Rosenberg.
ARN can confirm that the former Express Data CEO will take charge of the distributor effective March 16, and will also join the regional leadership team.
"Dave brings a track record of proven results across the entire spectrum of the Australian channel and he has demonstrated outstanding strategic and commercial capabilities in a variety of roles," Westcon-Comstor Asia Pacific Executive Vice President, Patrick Aronson, said.
"His reputation as a leader who sets and maintains a high standard of excellence and customer focus will be critical for our growth and success in Australia."
The channel expert was working as a private consultant to venture capitalists, with a specialisation in the Australian IT industry, prior to accepting the role at Westcon-Comstor.
Gage replaces Rosenberg, who announced his intention to return to New Zealand in December 2016, having held the hot seat in Australia since July 2014.
As a result, Gage will oversee a refreshed leadership team locally, following three key appointments across both Westcon and Comstor business divisions in November 2016.
As reported by ARN, the appointment spree resulted in Chris Apthorpe moving from his existing role as Westcon Vendor Alliances Director to take over as Comstor Vendor Alliances Director, replacing the outgoing James Mackay.
In addition, Robin Marjason returned to the business as Westcon Vendor Alliances Director, with Jeff Lombardo also appointed as the Queensland and Northern Territory Regional Account manager.
"Westcon-Comstor is a well-regarded company both in the Australian channel but also from a global perspective," Gage added. "It has partnered with a strong portfolio of vendors and a brand that is easily recognised in Australia.
“I’m proud to have the opportunity to lead the company into its next phase of growth and I am truly eager to get started with the Westcon-Comstor team and with our vendor and channel partners all across Australia."
Inducted into the ARN Hall of Fame in 2014, Gage was previously Director of Small and Mid-market Solutions and Partners at Microsoft, a role he held for over two years before exiting in November 2015.
Prior to his time at the tech giant, Gage was CEO of Express Data, overseeing the distributor’s business locally until November 2013, before it was acquired by Dicker Data for $65.5 million in February 2014.
With experience spanning vendor, distributor and reseller businesses, Gage also held management roles at Dimension Data in Australia, covering licensing and learning solutions divisions for the IT solutions provider.
Drawing on over 20 years of industry expertise and knowledge, Gage joined the industry in the late 1990s as Queensland State Manager for Express Data, before helping craft Express Online, one of the first channel online marketplaces in the early 2000s.
