NBN Co channel boss Stephen Sims heads to Fujifilm Business Innovation

Stephen Sims (Fujiflm Business Innovation)

NBN Co’s channel leader, Stephen Sims, has left the broadband builder to join the recently-rebranded Fujifilm Business Innovation Australia. 

In his new role as executive general manager, Sims will be responsible for accelerating digital transformation services at the managed print solutions vendor, while overseeing the company's managed IT services business CodeBlue.

Primarily responsible for growing Fujifilm Business Innovation's revenue and profitability, Sims will also have a hand with helping the company's channel partners' sales success.

Speaking to ARN, Sims said: "With nearly 400 people in the sales group, this is going to be one of the largest and most exciting transformation journeys taking place in the Australian ICT industry today. It won’t be easy but that's what motivates me. I love a challenge and can't wait to get started."

Sims was previously NBN Co’s general manager of business expansion, a role he took over from Keith Masterton in November 2020. 

Before joining NBN Co at the end of 2020, Sims spent 14 years at managed services provider Brennan IT, serving as CEO for the final five years of his tenure.

Speaking about his departure from NBN Co, Sims added: "The Business NBN channel team had a really successful 18 months, launching a new channel model, raising the awareness of business NBN in the MSP and ICT community, onboarding a number of new strategic MSP’s and winning a large number of new opportunities. 

"NBN [Co] has an amazing, experienced and capable channel team who are ideally placed to capitalise on the market opportunity. I leave business NBN channel partners in great hands."

Commenting on Sims' departure, an NBN Co spokesperson said the company had thanked Sims and was now undertaking a recruitment process to source his replacement.

Sims’ appointment at Fujifilm Business Innovation follows that of Takashi Otani, who took over as corporate vice president of Oceania operations and managing director of Fujifilm CSG at the end of last year. 

“Stephen’s appointment signifies the commitment and continuing investment by Fujifilm Business Innovation to be the leader in digital innovation,” Otani said. 

“Our organisation is committed to providing solutions and services that enable our customers’ digital transformation goals. As we continue to evolve from a printing device company into a digital company, Stephen’s experience and knowledge will accelerate our growth.” 

Formerly known as Fuji Xerox, the Japanese company revealed its new brand identity of Fujifilm Business Innovation at the end of 2020 in anticipation of its ending partnership with US-based Xerox in April 2021. 

Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific completed an A$140 million scheme of arrangement to buy Melbourne-based print services company CSG before the official rebrand.  

The deal, which included Kiwi CSG IT services company CodeBlue, was said to allow the company to delve deeper into providing a more robust IT and print services arm, alongside its other areas of cloud, artificial intelligence and the internet of things. 

"Fujifilm Business Innovation has fantastic products, services and capability to help businesses on their digital journey – covering everything from hardware, software and services," Sims added.

"We need to reposition Fujifilm Business Innovation from just a printing device company into a digital transformation company that covers everything from traditional print and document services, to document and content management, workflow automation, cloud computing and managed IT services."