South African professional audio specialists, Stage Audio Works (SAW) have appointed Lee Thomson to the newly created role of Projects Sales Manager, with Mike Summerfield taking on the post of Distribution Sales Manager. The move follows the decision to restructure the sales operation into two distinct verticals – namely Projects and Distribution – to better serve both markets.
The Projects team will look after markets served directly by SAW; these include key accounts in the houses of worship, themed attractions and casinos, sports, and performing arts sectors. The Distribution team will manage those markets chiefly served through a reseller/integrator channel; namely corporate AV, education, retail, broadcast, plus rental and staging companies.
“Separate teams will allow us better focus on the specific needs of each vertical, which are quite different,” explains group CTO Nathan Ihlenfeldt. “ As part of this new organisation, we’re thrilled to welcome on board Lee Thomson to head up the Projects sales division. Lee brings a vast amount of experience and expertise to the SAW family, especially within the worship market which has been a key growth area for us over the last decade, and I know he’ll be a great asset to the team. The Distribution team is in the capable hands of Mike Summerfield, a valued member of our crew who has been with us since 2012.
“While COVID 19 has presented an incredible challenge to our industry as a whole, the diverse market positioning of our group of companies has proven resilient,” continues Ihlenfeldt. “The restructuring of our sales operation has provided us with better market focus and the addition of Lee to the team further enhances our vast solution knowledge and implementation ability. Combined with our wide product portfolio, we are better placed than ever to ensure the highest levels of service and relevant support to the markets we serve. We are also stating our commitment to our integrator and rental partners by ensuring dedicated internal resources to deal with their needs in a meaningful and relevant way. The future looks incredibly bright.”
Thomson himself is equally pleased with his new role: “I am excited to join a progressive, forward-thinking company with an immense amount of talent, a vast and comprehensive product offering, and years of world class project experience” he affirms. “I believe that with my twenty-plus years of experience in the pro AVL space, I can add significant value to the SAW offering, especially in the house of worship market.”
