Basilica co-founder back at helm

Steve Vassiliades, co-founder and chairman of Hewlett Packard reseller Basilica, has regained control from current managing director Andrew Douglas, following concerns about the company's growth.

Steve Vassiliades, co-founder and chairman of Hewlett Packard (HP) reseller Basilica, has regained control from current managing director Andrew Douglas, following concerns about the company's growth.

Douglas is in negotiations with the company but is still expected to leave, according to Andy Hoult, director and co-founder of Basilica. Hoult is temporarily taking over the role of sales director from Mark O'Keefe, who is also set to leave the company.

"The business was doing well but Steve became frustrated at the pace of the growth. He is a forceful character who believes in promoting team spirit, and he did not agree with Andy's corporate approach," said Hoult.

Hoult explained that the business will be restructured with some cuts to back-office staff to make way for additional "customer-facing" employees. The company currently employs 160 staff.

"A lot of people have been here for a long time, but Steve needs to appoint more sales and consultancy staff to drive the business forward," he said, adding that the company will look at taking on extra vendors to its product portfolio. He also confirmed that Basilica was interested in approaching Cisco and Nortel.

Currently, HP makes up about 70 per cent of Basilica's hardware offering. It added lines from HP rivals Compaq and Toshiba just 18 months ago.

Hoult said that Basilica will not take on a large number of new vendors. "Having just the one vendor inhibited us but we will not be taking on lots more. HP will still be our main focus."

Sources familiar to the company claimed that Vassiliades has also invested more of his own money in the company following his return, but Hoult was unable to confirm this. Vassiliades formed the business in 1991 but has not had a hands-on role for over two years.

John Young, corporate reseller business manager at HP, said: "Steve told me that [Basilica] has done well but it can do better. The company was not growing as fast as he would have liked. Steve is looking to inject new impetus."

He added that there was little need to change the company's existing product catalogue. "It is more a need for a change of leadership," he said.