Barber to restyle NEC Australia

Technology services company NEC Australia has announced a new leadership team to be headed up by Mike Barber, a member of the NEC Australia Board and former executive director of IT Solutions and Services.

As of 6 April, Barber will assume leadership under the new title chief operating officer, leading the company’s operations nationally.

The company said Barber, as executive director of the IT Solutions and Services business, was pivotal to NEC Australia delivering on its goal to transform itself into a top-tier ICT company, stating it is one of the few enterprise IT service and solutions providers currently experiencing growth.

“I am very honoured to say ‘I work for NEC’ and to be part of a great company, one that is developing a reputation for innovation and technical excellence in Australia and around the world,” said Barber. “This is a very exciting time in our industry and NEC Australia, along with our industry partners, is at the crest of this high-tech wave.”

Barber will take over the reins at a time of innovation and development for the company. NEC only recently opened its 6000 m² innovation centre in Melbourne, signed on as a strategic partner with Microsoft’s Azure IoT program and is also working closely with the University of Adelaide on a Smart Cities project.

He has over 30 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors in South Australia and has been involved in the IT and outsourcing industry holding account, sales and general management roles within SA government and organisations such as HP and EDS.

Making way for Barber, the current managing director, Tetsuro Akagi, has been promoted to chief executive officer of NEC Asia Pacific, effective from 1 April 2016, and has also been appointed senior vice president of NEC Corporation.

“Mike brings valuable knowledge and expertise in Australia’s technology and services sector and I am confident that he will be an asset to the management team,” said Akagi.

Akagi, a strong advocate of Australian innovation, said he will continue to live in Melbourne, working closely with Barber to build relationships and networks within the APAC region.

The company also announced the appointment of D’wayne Mitchell to the role of director of IT Solutions, and Andy Hurt, who has been promoted to director of Communication Solutions.

Image credit: Mike Barber. Image courtesy of NEC Australia.

Originally published here.