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business success in association with


Data demands are driving success at Bell Microsystems


As a leading technology services provider, Bell Microsystems provides services and technology to a broad range of customers. Many of the services are delivered by its own team of specialist staff, and some services are fulfilled by partnering with world-class names such as Oracle, HP and Dell. Bell boasts an enviable customer base from financial services through to telcos, public sector and defence, writes Alison Dewar


Currently with some 160 permanent staff and over 50 associates employed at locations in Portsmouth, London and on many customer sites, and with operations in Singapore and New York, Bell has grown rapidly and continues to do so.


The business has acquired a string of awards and accolades, including listings in The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 and The Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100. It has also featured regularly in The Business Magazine’s Solent 250 and Southern Tech 100, and founder and chairman Alastair Bell is well-known for his entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen.


Having established Bell Microsystems in 1996 as an IT reseller, Bell used his industry knowledge to recognise that the future lay in providing technology as a service, and using strength of relationships to underpin these engagements.


“We had no preconceptions, there were no barriers, it was about having confidence in our products and our people,“ he says today. This approach proved correct and, while the business has achieved a multi-million turnover, very few of those original hardware and software resellers have survived.


Bell realised that the future would require a different approach to the past journey, so in September 2012, Bell handed over the reins to Nick Petheram, who joined first as managing director, and then in June 2013 became CEO while Bell moved into the chairman’s role.


Petheram has been tasked with leading the team and all that entails including; recruiting and structuring the business for growth, refining and industrialising its range of services and products, as well as helping increase efficiencies and deeper and more valued and valuable customer engagements.


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Petheram commented: “We’re now at the forefront of helping companies drive costs from their operations and improve their ability to engage with their own customers, either by supporting the growth of their channels to market, or by aiding their responsive and service quality.“


As a true partner to many of its customers, Bell is asked to assist and provide support through the entire lifecycle of technology, from:


• An Assessment and advisory service looking at how customers support their businesses today, and what their realistic next steps might be to improve their model and most importantly how they start that journey


• Architecture and transformation services, helping customers migrate from current/ historic technology model to a more responsive, cost-effective and future- proof operating model with support and guidance from teams of experienced and knowledgeable experts


• Management and operation services, where Bell helps to support customers ongoing technology platforms or their newly-transformed service. Options range from onsite to remote, and can aggregate private and public cost and service models


• Redeployment and retirement services, enabling customers to optimise the value of their assets when they are no longer needed, and do so in risk averse and compliant manner in order to meet all data and environmental challenges.


When a company grows at the rate that Bell has, and plans to continue to grow, the right kind of assistance is key. Supporting Bell Microsystems on its upward journey to success is Barclays, which provides day-to-day banking support as well as financial expertise from relationship director Mike Morgan and his team.


Alastair Bell


“Our demands on the bank are relatively small but when we do have an issue they understand our requirements and are very accommodating. They are there for us and have stepped up to help when we need them,“ said Bell.


It’s clear Bell is sure of the future success of the business, concluding: “Nick is incredibly talented; appointing him was the best thing I did. We are going through a huge growth period at the moment and how we continue to evolve and respond to the needs of our customers is one of our biggest challenges.


“Having got the business to £60m, Nick’s role now is to drive it forward to £200m and I have every confidence in his ability to do so.“


Details:


Alastair Bell 023-9282-5925 abell@bell-group.net www.bell-group.net


Mike Morgan 07500-890055 mike.morgan1@barclays.com www.barclays.com/corporatebanking


The views expressed in this article are the views of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Barclays Bank PLC Group nor should they be taken as statements of policy or intent of the Barclays Bank PLC Group. The Barclays Bank PLC Group takes no responsibility for the veracity of information contained in the third part guides or articles and no warranties or undertakings of any kind, whether express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information given. The Barclays Bank PLC Group takes no liability for the impact of any decisions made based on information contained and views expressed.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – APRIL 2014


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