Ingram President Steps Down Suddenly

Alain Monie, executive vice president and president of Ingram Micro Asia-Pacific, will replace Murai as the company's new president and chief operating officer, effective August 1.

Murai, a nearly twenty year Ingram Micro veteran who started as a manager in the company's Canadian IT department, said he will work with Monie during a five month transition period. Murai's resignation will take effect at the end of 2007.

In a prepared statement, Murai said his decision to leave the world's largest computer products distributor was "extremely difficult."

"The timing of my departure is based solely on the needs of my family and was not influenced by any company-related issues," said Murai.

Don Conaby, Ingram Micro VentureTech co-president and president of Conpute, an Ingram Micro partner based in Oshawa Ontario just outside of Toronto, said he was "shocked" by Murai's sudden departure.

Conaby said Murai has deep Toronto connections. "I heard his family wanted to come back to Canada," he said. "Toronto is his home. When he took the US job, he moved his family. I just saw Kevin two days ago at a VTN (VentureTech Network) meeting."

Conaby, who has known Murai for a decade, said the Ingram Micro veteran's biggest asset was his ability to develop deep solution provider relationships and back up any partner iniatives with a keen and razor sharp operations focus. "Kevin could stand in front of a group of VARs and tell a story and then with his operational strength back it up," said Conaby. "Those were the unique skills he brought to the table."

Conaby said Murai knew all of Ingram Micro's VentureTech members by name. "Kevin is very approachable and friendly," he said. "He would sit down with anyone and have a conversation and listen." Although Murai was a tremendous asset to Ingram, Conaby said he is confident the distribution powerhouse has the management depth to continue its upward trajectory.

"I have been very impressed with where the Ingram Micro leadership has taken the company over the last few years," said Conaby. "Do I have a soft spot for Kevin and the Canadian connection? Yes. He has been a very strong leader. Will it have a long term negative impact on Ingram Micro? Probably not. Ingram is stronger than any one individual."

Greg Starr, COO of I.T. Works, an Ingram Micro VentureTech partner headquartered in Houston, Texas, said he was surprised by Murai's sudden departure. "I hate to see him go," said Starr. "I have the utmost respect for him. Murai is an industry leader. One of the things we have always respected about Ingram is they really get it and go out of their way to find out what's going on in the channel with each of us individually. Murai played a very big role in that. He always attended VentureTech meetings."

Starr said Murai was a strong advocate for Ingram's VAR customers and for the distributor's VentureTech network. "I understand the first priority has to be his family," Starr said. "I respect that but he is going to be missed. But I have every confidence that Alain Monie will be a very qualified replacement. Ingram's deep executive bench has always been one of their great strengths."

In the wake of Monie's transition to the president and COO position, the Asia-Pacific region will be overseen by two executives that will report to him. Meinie Oldersman will stay on to lead Ingram's China operations and Shailendra Gupta will oversee the rest of the region.

Monie joined Ingram in 2003 and became president of the Asia-Pacific region in 2004. He was previously the president of the Latin American division of Honeywell International and lead Allied Signal's Asia-Pacific operations.

He will be based at the company's headquarters in Santa Ana, Calif.