Claranet appoints new CIO to lead technology development across Western Europe

As head of Claranet’s Technology Group, Andy will be responsible for existing IT systems, infrastructure and platforms, together with technology and service integration of newly acquired businesses.

His appointment marks the eve of the first anniversary of Claranet’s acquisition of Star (in the UK) and Typhon (in France) and the company’s establishment as one of the leading managed services providers in Western Europe to the mid-market, including its recognition as a ‘leader’ in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for European Managed Hosting.

Andy has qualifications in physics and computer science, having studied at the University of Nottingham and later Aston University where he received his PhD. His professional career includes senior positions at 3Com, Siemens Network Systems (now part of KCom), and more recently seven years as IT Director of 2e2.

Charles Nasser, CEO of Claranet, says: “Since our acquisition last year we have taken the time to create a fully integrated business that takes an expanded range of services to market. Andy’s skill in handling company integration and experience in managing cloud hosting environments made him an ideal choice to join our team, helping to consolidate our share of market as a leading MSP in Europe.”

As one of the few European headquartered providers with a pan-European presence, Claranet is in a strong position as the market continues to mature.

Andy Wilton comments: “Claranet’s extended period of growth and innovation makes this a very exciting time to join the business. The big challenge for cloud providers is how to respond to the rapid changes in market demands in what is still a comparatively immature landscape. Ensuring a fully integrated service that is flexible to every customer's need is no simple task.”