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Ingram Micro’s Paul Bay: Platinum Equity Supports Our ‘Excitement Around The Things We Can Accelerate’
Joseph F. Kovar
‘There are always going to be opportunities to look at skill sets to enhance the capabilities we have. When we talk with our partners about what’s important to them, is it vertical markets? Is it specific skill sets and certifications they need? We’re going to look at those opportunities to acquire,’ Paul Bay, president of global technology solutions at Ingram Micro, tells CRN.
Channel partners have told CRN that fact that HNA is based in China has been an issue in some areas of the U.S. market. Were they any issues for Ingram Micro because of its Chinese ownership?
No, because as we’ve outlined to you and many others, and I’ve spent a fair bit of time talking about, we were ‘ring-fenced’ in the relationship we had within the U.S. government. And public sector business continues to be, and has been, one of our fastest-growing segments. Now, with that said, because Platinum is a U.S.-based organization and as of July 2 when we closed we are no longer subject to oversight from the U.S. government related to national security.
Does that free up opportunities for us to potentially accelerate investments in the public sector area? Absolutely.
What kinds of U.S. government oversight was Ingram Micro subject to during that time?
I can’t go into the details of it, but I would say we had a very solid relationship with CFIUS, which is the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. As we mentioned, we were ‘ring-fenced,’ and that’s why we had the opportunity to really continue to deliver as successfully as we have because we were able to make the investments in our customers and continue to grow.
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