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Westcon International divisional review

David Grant

Chief Executive Officer

Callum McGregor

Chief Financial Officer

David Grant

Chief Executive Officer

Callum McGregor

Chief Financial Officer

Westcon International enables vendors of high-tech enterprise solutions to increase their channel and market penetration by supporting and developing an extensive channel of IT systems integrators, service providers and resellers.

Highlights

Continued excellent momentum with revenue up 18%
(Constant currency: 25%)

EBITDA down 29% to US$48.4 million
(FY22: US$68.1 million) impacted negatively by IFRS 2 charge and negative foreign exchange impacts on margins in Europe

Sustained demand for networking, cyber security and cloud infrastructure resulted in record order intake levels

Adjusted EBITDA increased by 21% to US$95.1 million
(FY22: US$78.6 million)

Strong cash collections
throughout the period

Development of emissions reduction action plan

Creation of supplier code of conduct environmental addendum addressing key topics across climate change, waste and circularity

Revenue by technology category

Over 3 500 employees 41% female

Revenue by segment

Over 50 countries worldwide

Corporate overview

Global value-added technology provider and specialist distributor of industry-leading world-class cyber security, network infrastructure, cloud collaboration products, data centre solutions and channel support services

 

Global network of service providers, systems integrators and speciality resellers

 

Operating globally with major presence in Asia-pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa

 

Provides solutions from a broad portfolio of world-class, market-leading high-tech vendors

 

Goes to market under the Westcon and Comstor brands

 

Purpose

Westcon International's purpose is to drive partner success, to maximise sales and market penetration of emerging and core vendor solutions, transforming the distribution channel. This is achieved through its people, relationships, marketplace, digital and data driven marketing strategies and innovation.

Westcon

Westcon has expertise with vendors in the following technology solution segments:

  • Cyber security: Broadcom, Check Point, Crowdstrike, Efficient IP, F5 Networks, Infoblox, Ivanti, Netscout, Palo Alto Networks, Splunk, Tenable, TrendMicro and Zscaler
  • Networking infrastructure: Ciena, Extreme Networks, Juniper, Nokia, Ruckus
  • Cloud collaboration and mobility: Audiocodes, Avaya, Microsoft, Mitel, Zebra
  • Cloud computing and infrastructure: AWS, Microsoft, NetApp, Pure Storage and VMware

Comstor

The world's only Cisco-dedicated global distributor provides the full line of Cisco technologies to a wide range of customers in over 100 countries. Comstor specialises in the following architectures/technologies:

  • Cisco security: providing highly secure firewall, web and email threat detection and management services for network and mobile device protection
  • Cisco collaboration: empowering people to engage and innovate through multiple endpoints and truly collaborative software; anywhere, any time, on any device
  • Cisco software: flexible software licensing across the hardware estate combined with profitable annuity revenue
  • Cisco data centre: allowing data to be analysed, simplified, automated and protected for operational efficiency through storage of digital information on mission-critical applications
  • Cisco enterprise networking: covering SMB and enterprise solutions across core switching, wireless and routing technologies - without the enterprise costs
  • Cisco services: providing customer support on Cisco solutions through its global support and solutions team of experts, serving over 180 countries and responding in 17 languages

Westcon International

Westcon International also has capability practices and specialities that it offers globally under its Westcon-Comstor brand:

  • Cloud: AWS, Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Office 365
  • Flex: Funding solutions that blend software billing and traditional distribution with flexible payment schemes to overcome budget constraints and accelerate the adoption of the latest technology
  • Support and technical services: Education, network and security operating centres, technical support and professional services installation
  • Global supply chain services: logistics, staging, strategic stocking, configuration, project coordination, VAT recoverability; global contracting and global credit management for international deployments and contracts

How Westcon International creates value

Westcon International's people are dedicated to delivering outstanding performance, customer and vendor satisfaction. Westcon International provides a wealth of industry insight, industry-leading marketplace capability, innovative financing, marketing and business generation tools, technical expertise and decades of distribution experience for hybrid solutions.

Westcon International has established long-lasting and strategic vendor engagements and contracts. These relationships are leveraged to ensure its partners can access established and emerging technology solutions. With over 30 years' distribution success as a strategic partner to the world's leading IT brands, Westcon International combines global reach, digital capability, technology capability and scale with a personalised, local footprint to provide capabilities and services that vastly exceed the traditional distribution experience.

Westcon International selects market-leading vendor solutions and delivers outstanding propositions. It remains focused on process improvement, automation, both front office sales automation and back office efficiency with an emphasis on accuracy, quality and urgency in all functions.

Westcon International offers employees rewarding and challenging work in an inspiring, fast-moving environment. It has established an inclusive culture where people are valued and respected and where everyone can contribute, thrive, collaborate and reach their full potential.

Impacts of Westcon International's external environment on its ability to create value

Numerous factors, such as global macroeconomic and political conditions, global supply chain disruptions, the recent surge in fuel and energy prices could all impact Westcon International's ability to create value.

Ongoing global semiconductor shortages and supply chain constraints have eased slightly in recent months resulting in a slight decrease to Westcon International's product backlog. Headwinds from rising interest rates, compounded by geopolitical issues like the ongoing war in Ukraine and global inflationary pressures are expected to continue to disrupt global supply chains and could negatively impact demand for the foreseeable future.

Opportunities

The drive for the channel to have a digital engagement with suppliers (Gartner research) is creating opportunities for businesses like Westcon International to create value. The multi-year investments in advanced systems and business automation combined with the focus on portfolio expansion of software and subscription-based solutions provide opportunities for the division to continue improving operating leverage and overall profitability. Westcon International is also confident that the introduction of a class-leading CRM platform, as part of the "Sales Process Optimisation" initiative, will have a significant impact on digitally enabling the entire sales force. While the initial pilot and roll out of the first phase was delayed in FY23, Westcon International is confident that a successful global roll-out will be completed during FY24.

The underlying trends in the technology segments that Westcon International participates in remain positive and the business is well-positioned to benefit from continuing demand for software and services in networking, cyber security, and cloud infrastructure.

Markets

Strong growth was experienced during FY23 in all regions. The Comstor Europe division achieved overall revenue growth of 20% resulting in continued strong market share gains across the region.

Westcon Europe performed strongly with another year of double-digit growth (12%) benefiting from sustained demand for cyber security and networking technologies. Asia-Pacific revenue increased 20% with excellent growth in Australia (40%) and Asia (14%) in particular.

Outlook

The multi-year investments in advanced systems and business automation and focus on portfolio expansion with software and subscription-based solutions have enabled the business to record double-digit revenue growth despite the product supply constraints.

The underlying trends in the technology segments that Westcon International participates in remain positive and the division is well-positioned to benefit from continuing demand for software and services in networking, cyber security, and cloud infrastructure. However, rising interest rates combined with rising energy costs and the additional geopolitical issues such as the ongoing war in Ukraine could negatively impact demand in the short term. Westcon International continues to monitor and mitigate the impact on demand, product availability and costs.

Westcon International will continue to prioritise financial and operating performance while investing in advanced systems and business automation which are accelerating its transformation into the world's leading data driven technology provider and specialist distributor of cyber security and networking solutions.

Awards and recognition

Westcon International's leadership, vision, programmes and performance continue to draw the attention of the technology market it serves. Its relentless commitment to excellence transcends all facets of the organisation. Most recent accolades include:

Vendor awards

Broadcom Software – Technical Enablement – Partner of the Year 2022, APAC
Broadcom Software – Symantec Knight – Cybersecurity Partner of the Year 2022, Asia
Broadcom Software – Education & Training Services – Partner of the Year 2022, Asia

Cisco – APJC Distributor of the Year, Australia
Cisco – Distributor of the Year, MEA
Cisco – Distributor of the Year, Middle East
Cisco – Distributor of the Year North Europe, Sweden
Cisco – Distributor of the Year, Netherlands
Cisco – Distributor of the Year, Germany
Cisco – Distributor of the Year, Belgium
Cisco – Distributor of the Year, Philippines

Extreme Networks – International Distributor of the Year
Extreme Networks – Distribution Campaign Contribution of the year 2022, UKI

F5 – Distributor of the Year, Austria
F5 – Distributor of the Year, Germany

IBM – Partner of the Year FY22, Europe

Juniper Networks – Worldwide Distributor Partner of the Year 2022
Juniper Networks – Worldwide Distributor Partner of the Year 2023
Juniper Networks – Renewals Distributor of the Year DACH, Germany

NetApp – Cloud Partner 2022, META

Palo Alto Networks – ANZ Distribution Partner of the Year, New Zealand
Palo Alto Networks – EMEA Authorised Training Partner of the Year 2022

Poly – MENA Distributor of the Year 2021, MEA

Ribbon – Cloud Partner of the Year 2022, EMEA

Trend Micro – Distributor of the Year 2021, Austria

Vectra AI – Distribution Partner of the Year 2021, Germany

Zscaler – Enablement innovation award, EMEA

Industry awards

Comms Dealer – Best ICT Distributor, UK

CRN – Networking/Comms Distributor of the Year 2022, UK
CRN – Security Distributor of the Year 2022, UK

e-Learning Journal – e-Learning award 2022, Germany

IT-Business Distri Awards – Gold award in the category IT Security and Networking

Reseller News Awards – Distribution Innovation Award – Creativity, New Zealand

UC Today – Best UC Distributor 2022, UK/Europe