Datatec
{{Short description|ICT solutions and services group}}
{{Advert|date=November 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Datatec Limited
| type = Public Company (JSE)
| logo = File:Datatec logo.png
| key_people = Jens Montanana, CEO{{cite news|last=Robinson|first=Duncan|title=Datatec seeks Latin American growth|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/42283498-1872-11e2-8705-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2SGIbukDZ|accessdate=4 May 2013|newspaper=Financial Times|date=17 October 2012}}
| industry = Information Technology
| products =
| revenue = {{ubl|{{nowrap|{{decrease}} US$6.08 billion (2017) {{cite web|url=http://www.datatec-reports.co.za/iar-2017/five-year-review.php |title=Datatec 2017 Integrated report |website=datatec-reports.co.za |date= |accessdate=15 September 2017}}}}
| {{nowrap|{{increase}} US$6.45 billion (2016)}}}}
| num_employees = 8000+
| homepage = http://www.datatec.com
|
| foundation = 1986
| location_city = Johannesburg
| location_country = South Africa
| ISIN = ZAE000017745
}}
Datatec Limited, also known as Datatec Group, is an international ICT solutions and services group operating in more than 50 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific. Through three core divisions, the group offers integration and managed services (Logicalis International and Logicalis Latin America) and technology distribution and financial services (Westcon International).
History
Datatec was founded in 1986 by Jens Montanana, who became the company's first CEO.{{cite web |date=29 February 2016 |title=Datatec celebrates 20 years on the JSE |url=https://www.datatec.com/pdf/annual-reports/2016//Datatec%20IR%20Lo-Res.pdf |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=datatec}} The company's shares started trading on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in December 1994, with a share code of DTC. {{cite web |date=29 February 2016 |title=Datatec celebrates 20 years on the JSE |url=https://www.datatec.com/pdf/annual-reports/2016//Datatec%20IR%20Lo-Res.pdf |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=datatec}}
In 1996, Datatec launched a joint venture with UUNET to form UUNET Africa, an internet service provider. {{cite web |date=1 January 2003 |title=Once a Cape Town startup |url=http://www.brainstormmag.co.za/in-depth-analysis/11714-once-a-cape-town-startup |accessdate=2 October 2017 |website=brainstormmag.co.za}}
In 1997, the company began its international expansion and acquired UK-based IT firm Logical Networks [3], which later changed its name to Logicalis. {{cite web |date=27 October 2017 |title=Logical opts for name change |url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/logical-opts-for-name-change-12519 |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=itnews.com.au}}
In June 1998, Datatec acquired a 92.5% stake in US distributor Westcon for $160 million. The company then consolidated its five-continent distribution business under the Westcon brand. {{cite web |date=10 April 2017 |title=Datatec in radical restructure |url=https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/companies-and-deals/datatec-in-radical-restructure/ |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=moneyweb.co.za}}
In 1999, Datatec acquired communications consultancy Mason Communications.{{cite web |date=11 August 2004 |title=Datatec forms standalone IT consultancy |url=http://www.computerweekly.com/microscope/news/2240220976/Datatec-forms-standalone-IT-consultancy |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=computerweekly.com}}
In November 2000, the company announced it was selling its stake in UUNET Africa to WorldCom. {{cite web |date=15 November 2000 |title=Datatec is to sell its UUNet for R850m |url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/companies/datatec-is-to-sell-its-uunet-for-r850m-784440 |accessdate=2 October 2017 |website=iol.co.za}}
In 2004, Datatec acquired UK-based telecommunications research and consultancy firm Analysys for £12.8 million. Analysys was merged with Mason Communications, and the new company was renamed Analysys Mason Group (AMG). {{cite web |date=11 August 2004 |title=Datatec buys Analysys for £12.8m |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/11/analysys_datatec/ |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=theregister.co.uk}}
In October 2006, the company was listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange.{{cite web |date=29 February 2016 |title=Datatec celebrates 20 years on the JSE |url=https://www.datatec.com/pdf/annual-reports/2016//Datatec%20IR%20Lo-Res.pdf |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=datatec}}
In May 2014, the company spun off Mason Advisory from Analysys Mason to focus on IT, cloud, security, and mobile technology consulting. {{cite web |date=20 May 2014 |title=Datatec Forms Mason Advisory |url=https://www.rrmediagroup.com/News/NewsDetails/NewsID/10815 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829191709/https://www.rrmediagroup.com/News/NewsDetails/NewsID/10815 |archive-date=29 August 2022 |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=rrmediagroup.com}}
In June 2017, Datatec announced it was selling the North and Latin American operations of Westcon-Comstor, along with 10% of the remaining part of Westcon (Westcon International), to Fremont, CA-based IT supply chain services company Synnex, for a reported consideration of up to $830 million. {{cite web |date=6 June 2017 |title=Datatec reaches agreement to sell Westcon-Comstor |url=http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=162376 |accessdate=15 September 2017 |website=itweb.co.za}}
In October 2017, Datatec announced they were planning to delist their secondary listing on the London AIM market on December 8 of that year due to the limited liquidity of the shares on AIM. {{cite web |date=24 October 2017 |title=Datatec to delist from London's AIM |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/telecoms-and-technology/2017-10-24-datatec-to-delist-from-londons-aim/ |accessdate=24 October 2017 |website=businesslive.co.za}}
In May 2018, Logicalis Group, a subsidiary of Datatec, signed an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the issued share capital of Coasin, a Chilean ICT services provider that also operates in Peru. {{Cite web |title=Telecompaper |url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/datatec-acquires-coasin-for-usd-20-2-million--1244470 |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=www.telecompaper.com}}
In August 2020, Datatec announced that its subsidiary Logicalis Latin America had acquired a 30% stake in Brazilian Kumulus. {{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=Datatec acquires 30% stake in Kumulus |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/cloud-hosting/423394/datatec-acquires-30-stake-in-kumulus/ |access-date=22 April 2022 |language=en-US}}
In June 2021, Logicalis Group acquired Siticom, a 5G integrator based in Germany. {{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=Datatec buys Germany based 5G integrator |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/technology/495471/datatec-buys-germany-based-5g-integrator/ |access-date=22 April 2022 |language=en-US}}
In July 2022, the business disposed of its management consulting subsidiary, Analysys Mason, for £210m (R4.12bn) to UK fund manager Bridgepoint Development Capital. {{cite web |title=Datatec sells management consulting unit for R4bn |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/telecoms-and-technology/2022-06-30-datatec-sells-management-consulting-unit-for-r4bn/}}
Companies
Datatec's companies have three main divisions:
=IT managed services=
- Logicalis – an information and communications technology infrastructure and service provider.
=Financial services=
- Datatec Financial Services – a financial services provider for customers and suppliers of Logicalis and Westcon-Comstor.{{cite web|url=
https://www.crn.com.au/news/westcons-parent-lands-in-australia-with-finance-business-436067 |title=Westcon's parent lands in Australia with finance business|website=crn.com.au|date=5 September 2016 |accessdate=15 September 2017}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Witwatersrand companies}}