Trustmarque's head of public sector on growth: 'This is just the beginning'

Chris Jones discusses Trustmarque’s growth, AI, and the NHS

When Chris Jones joined Trustmarque to lead its public sector practice in January, he was not expecting that he would be leading £350m worth of business eight months later.

But the growth, driven by a demand for services coming particularly from the NHS, has been staggering.

The company currently works with 80 per cent of the NHS Trusts, but also with 38 local authorities, and 350 schools and universities.

"Our work in public sector is all about delivering the value of technology for citizen services and the communities around us," says Jones.

In terms of future expansion, Jones explains that the focus is currently on the UK, as it is important for the company to focus with the same intensity on the four nations constituting the kingdom.

" My mission is to make sure that we are delivering work which benefits the people in the UK. That's our number one objective."

Public and private

While Trustmarque is strongly involved in the public sector, a third of the business is focused on corporate clients.

The company has had clients in the private sector for 20 years, but has started recruiting and investing more heavily within the last 18 months.

Jones says that different factors are at the root of this new focus.

Firstly, he mentions the "watershed moment of being bought by One Equity Partners (OEP)" in April 2022, which aimed to strengthen Trustmarque's capabilities as a UK reseller while allowing the business to operate as an independent brand.

He adds that this focus intensified with Simon Williams' appointment as CEO 19 months ago.

Simon Williams previously worked as CEO of NTT DATA UK, a global innovator of business and technology services, to which Jones was the VP and head of public sector.

"Simon's involvement has really transformed Trustmarque," says Jones.

Jones adds that this new leadership will "drive and fulfil Trustmarque's potential."

Trustmarque's head of public sector on growth: 'This is just the beginning'

Chris Jones discusses Trustmarque’s growth, AI, and the NHS

People and places

The Trustmarque team counts over 500 people, spread around three UK offices in York, Hamilton and London. Out of 500 people, 50 work in the public sector sales team.

Jones explains that the public sector team is equally split between men and women, and that 70 per cent of the 20 people hired this year come from diverse backgrounds.

"I am so proud of these figures," says Jones.

Looking into the future, Trustmarque is aiming to open offices in other regions around the UK to "invest in local areas" and "work with local partners."

The reseller also wants to become the core technology partner to its clients by exploring how to deliver more value to them.

Competitors

When it comes to competitors, Trustmarque counts a few.

As the company is working to become a technology partner, it finds itself up against companies in the channel such as Phoenix IT, Bytes, Softcat, CDW, ANS, or Computacenter, as well as system integrators.

Jones says that the company wants to disrupt the system integration market, thanks to its relationships, services, leadership, vision, and innovation.

"Disrupting that marketplace is what we are achieving," adds Jones.

Trustmarque's head of public sector on growth: 'This is just the beginning'

Chris Jones discusses Trustmarque’s growth, AI, and the NHS

Evolving with the NHS

By working for 37 years with the NHS, Trustmarque has witnessed and driven a lot of changes within the national health system throughout the years.

Something that the NHS has always been working on is efficiency, for example by trying to reduce the wait for hospital beds for patients.

The assist the NHS on its mission, Trustmarque to improve such criteria, with for example the use of AI.

Jones says he has no doubt that AI will play a major role in ensuring great services in the face of an increasing population.

This is why the company is making investments into Microsoft Copilot and IBM watsonx, to drive that AI change and answer the NHS' needs.

Record revenue

Jones shared that last year, the company closed the books at £498m.

"Reaching half a billion pounds was a proud moment for us, and we are just looking to grow more and more," says Jones.

Jones also adds that 2024 has been a healthy year for Trustmarque, and that the company is already looking to 2025, where it has placed its ambitions.

These ambitions, even though high, do not scare the company, as "it's going to be an evolution, not a revolution", since Trustmarque is "already going in the right direction."

Proof that the reseller is doing – very – well: this year has been marked by a new achievement, with July 2024 being the best sales month in Trustmarque's history.

This feat comes just six months after Jones joined Trustmarque and is directly linked to the strategy and plans he and his team put in place, he says.

"It was a proud day, but this is just the beginning," says Jones.

Trustmarque's head of public sector on growth: 'This is just the beginning'

Chris Jones discusses Trustmarque’s growth, AI, and the NHS

Goals and motivations

Jones explains that a big part of his drive and motivation to make a difference in the UK comes from his childhood.

"I was born in a mining community in South Wales, during the miners' strike.

"My father and the whole community were involved, fighting for more rights and a better life.

"This led me to want to build a UK which puts people first, where technology can help make a difference in people's lives.

"That DNA has been in me for 40 years, and that's what I'm motivated by."

When asked if anyone inspired him, Jones names Simon Williams, former CEO of NTT Data and current CEO of Trustmarque.

"When I joined NTT Data to run the government business, I was 35 at the time. He [Simon] believed I could run that business, and we grew it 30 per cent year-on-year.

"And then he believed and trusted me again to run two thirds of Trustmarque. I look after probably £350m worth of business.

"He inspires me through his leadership, his trust, his friendship, his direction, and I'd run through a brick wall for him."