Kirk Jones (Counterparts Technology)
Kirk Jones has joined Counterparts Technology, with the former Thousand Hands channel director assuming the newly-created role of software solutions director.
Fresh from leaving his role in distribution in June, after a four month stint, Jones will be tasked with delivering software solutions to customers across Australia.
“We are delighted to have Kirk Jones join the Counterparts Technology team to head up our software solutions team,” Counterparts Technology managing director Matt Wynn-Jones stated via LinkedIn. “Kirk's knowledge of software solutions is second to none in this country.”
According to Wynn-Jones, the new appointment will see Jones and the software solutions team leverage the company’s internal business model, which includes consultancy and advisory work, streamlining procurement processes alongside managed service capabilities.
“Having worked with Kirk many years ago, I know that we share the basic tenet of value, fairness and integrity - which and at the core of the Counterparts Technology culture,” Wynn-Jones added.
Jones told ARN he is looking to bring in more vendors and customers to the company's software portfolio.
"Counterparts never really had a large focus on selling software, so I've come on board to build a new team around that business, create alignment with the software vendors that we're working with, and bring on board new ones," he said.
"As we build the business this will open up opportunities for us to bring on board new customers, and beef up the team as well."
The appointment closely follows recent news that the company has boosted its core area of focus to include consulting, advisory, professional, and managed services - a major expansion from its initial market focus, which was primarily around procurement.
“This transition allowed us to go from strength to strength," Wynn-Jones told ARN previously. "The core was first established and the focus now is on being a broader provider to our customers because the market’s changing and that’s what it is demanding. That has given us a razor sharp focus to go to market with those three principles."
Jones was previously channel director at Thousand Hands Technologies, joining the distributor when it was still known as Hemisphere Technologies, just before it rebranded in March.
Jones told ARN that he left the company as it was looking to move most of its management positions to Victoria, in addition to constant travel that he had to do.
"There was a lot of travel involved and I didn't want to do that as much. I also didn't want to relocate to Victoria," he mentioned.
"In most of my 20-year tenure, I've worked for resellers or partners anyway, so it's better suited to my skills and expertise."
Previously, Jones was the manager of software solutions at AC3, working at the infrastructure and managed services company for more than two years.
Before AC3, Jones was the strategic alliance director at SoftwareOne for about two years, and also had stints with Simply Technology, Software Spectrum and Data#3.
