Data#3 snaps up 40 ex-Commander staffers

ASX-listed integrator, Data#3 (ASX: DTL), has actively recruited 40 ex-Commander staff as part of plans to build up its business outside its Queensland home state.

As previously reported in ARN, Data#3 is one of several integrators to benefit from ongoing staff departures and 600 staff retrenchments made at troubled ASX-listed integrator, Commander. The massive staff cuts follow Commander's decision to largely exit the hardware reseller business.

Data#3 has established new offices in Adelaide and Perth and boosted headcount in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The integrator picked up Commander's entire Perth-based Microsoft Large Account Reseller (LAR) licensing team, as well as key staff from its Melbourne licensing division.

In Adelaide, it has expanded its infrastructure solutions team with ex-Commander staff and added to state-based infrastructure teams in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Managing director, John Grant, said the opportunity to pick up skilled technical, sales and key management personnel was too good to pass up.

"We've been looking to build our business outside of Queensland through organic growth, which in today's market makes for slow progress, particularly in terms of getting the right sales and technical people," he said. "When Commander did what it did, we saw a whole range of people released to the market.

"It's like an acquisition and gives us the benefits of fast growth, but without the operations and financial integration issues."

The ex-Commander hires, combined with 45 staff appointments in the last half of 2007, sees Data#3 with 400 employees nationally. Grant said it was still talking to a number of other staff and could increase headcount further.

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