Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 18, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Wacom, manufacturer of pen tablets and Interactive Pen Displays, is introducing a new team structure for sales in EMEA. Several new positions are being created in the process. This step is a direct result of Wacom’s commercial success in EMEA, where the company has recorded an average annual growth rate of over 20 percent in recent years. With the restructuring, Wacom is preparing for future growth, focusing on the consumer segment and growth markets.
Under the leadership of Han Stoffels, CEO of Wacom Europe GmbH, sales was initially divided into two departments: Channel Sales and Business Development. A further division now follows: Channel Sales will in future be split into three separate regions (Southern Europe, North-West Europe and CEMEA), while the Business Development department will continue alongside them.
Frans Ditmer is the new Director of Sales and Business Development but will continue to serve as General Sales Manager North-West Europe. Jean-Marc Blondel takes over the position of General Sales Manager Southern Europe, while Andreas Küsters is joining Wacom to take responsibility for the CEMEA region and thus strengthen Wacom’s presence in the growth markets of Central Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.
The Business Development department, headed by Peter Sommer, remains unchanged but additionally takes on the task of further developing Wacom’s online sales and building them into a significant source of revenue. Peggy Kaeding, in the position of Manager Internal Sales, will also coordinate all support activities for Sales and Business Development in EMEA.
The restructuring not only strengthens the sales team in view of anticipated future growth but also allows Han Stoffels to focus more consistently on both his role as CEO and the tasks arising from his appointment last year as Executive Officer of Wacom Co., Ltd. “The new structure reflects not only the success our company has achieved in recent years but also our intention to continue growing in future,” says Stoffels. “We have selected an impressively strong team to drive the business forward, and I therefore expect our sales activities to be even more successful in future.”
Before starting work for Wacom in 2003, Frans Ditmer held various international positions at Ricoh Europe B.V., focusing on subsidiary and sales development and regional expansion in EMEA. At Wacom, he was responsible for expanding sales channels as General Sales Manager.
Jean-Marc Blondel has worked for Wacom since January 1998. He brings specialised experience in the sales and retailing of graphics IT products, and his professional achievements include establishing Wacom as a successful retail partner, setting up the local Wacom office in France, and introducing the PartnerPlus programme, with which Wacom has addressed the retail business since 2005.
Andreas Küsters joins Wacom from Ricoh Europe B.V., bringing eleven years of experience in building international sales networks in the consumer and professional segments.
