Patrick Zammit will take the helm of TD Synnex as CEO starting on September 1, stepping in to replace retiring CEO Rich Hume who will remain on the board of directors.
The change comes at a monumental moment for the channel and the IT industry as cloud computing, cybersecurity and AI are all altering the landscape for everyone including technology and IT distributors, MSPs, MSSPs and all channel partners.
The change also comes as TD Synnex, and the channel as a whole, mourns the recent passing of former Tech Data CEO Bob Dutkowsky, a legend in the industry. (I had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Dutkowsky many times when he was heading Tech Data and I was at Channel Insider. He always made himself available to members of the press. He was a true leader in the market.)
TD Synnex is poised to take on a new era, and recently created and launched MSP Evolve, an aggregation of its resources and tools specifically designed to optimize operational excellence and accelerate business growth for the unique needs of managed service providers.
What will the leadership change at TD Synnex mean for MSPs? Certainly the new MSP Evolve program has been in the works under Zammit’s leadership as COO. Many vendors and distributors recognize that MSPs are a growing force in the industry and that other channel partner types, including solution providers, are adding managed service revenue streams to their business models. ChannelE2E expects to see these trends continue. In addition ChannelE2E expects distributors such as TD Synnex to play a major role in helping MSPs leap frog their efforts around providing advanced technologies such as AI to their end customers.
6 Things to Know About Incoming TD Synnex CEO Patrick Zammit
1. Patrick Zammit has served as the company’s chief operating officer since January 2024
2. Zammit previously served as president of the EMEA region of TD Synnex from March 2017 to January 2024 and also took on the role as president of APJ in September 2021.
3. Prior to those roles he served as global president of Technology Solutions for Avnet. Zammit worked in a few different leadership roles at that distribution giant for more than 10 years before Avnet Technology Solutions (TS) was acquired by Tech Data.
4. He holds an MBA from ESLSCA Business School in Paris and is fluent in English, French and German.
5. Prior to his roles in corporate management, Zammit worked as a senior consultant at Arthur Andersen LLP from 1989 to 1993.
6. He was recognized as a Channel Futures Distribution Channel Leader of the Year in 2023, highlighting his influence and leadership in the technology distribution sector.
5 Accomplishments of Retiring TD Synnex DEO Rich Hume
1. Rich Hume joined what was then Tech Data in 2016 as chief operating officer, and he took over as CEO in 2018, replacing retiring CEO Bob Dutkowsky.
2. Hume presided over some of the company’s largest deals including the acquisition of Avnet TS when the company was taken private in partnership with Apollo Asset Management.
3. Hume also presided over the successful merger of Tech Data and Synnex.
4. Under Hume’s leadership TD Synnex has embraced a culture of servant leadership – an approach favored by many channel-centric companies -- focusing on empowering employees, fostering an inclusive environment and building a company with purpose that extends beyond financial success.
