Jasco focuses on major expansion

Electronics group Jasco aims to double its systems integration and managed services business as it enters a new era with the appointment of a new CEO.

Electronics group Jasco aims to double its systems integration and managed services business as it enters a new era with the appointment of a new CEO.

Jasco’s managed services business manages areas seen as noncore, such as solar power or telecommunications infrastructure and services, on behalf of its clients.

Jasco currently generates about 25% of revenue from its managed solutions business.

Incoming CEO Mark van Vuuren said managed solutions was a “fast-growing and highermargin business area with nice annuity revenues”. He said customers were looking for “assistance to navigate the business challenges they are facing”.

Jasco recently acquired Reflex Solutions and Ramm Technologies, both of which provide managed services.

Van Vuuren, currently Jasco’s chief operating officer, will replace Pete da Silva in July.

Jasco announced on Friday that Da Silva will become a nonexecutive director after seven years as CEO.

Da Silva helped turn Jasco around, building it into a R1.2bn company from R600m when he took over. “It’s the right time [to step down]. I get bored when businesses become stable,” Da Silva said.

“When I started we needed to look at many things. We exited the low-cost manufacturing businesses and now the business is ready to move into the integrated managed services area,” he said.

His role on the board will be to help raise funding for Jasco for its expansion.

Jasco, which already has a base in Kenya, will seek further opportunities in East Africa. It said in February that it would reassess the viability of the base in the United Arab Emirates.