Flex IT, one of Europe's leading IT lifecycle management specialists, has appointed Andreas Mayer as its new CEO, succeeding Leon Timmermans, who will remain in an advisory capacity until July to ensure a smooth transition.
Mayer was previously CEO of MCKL, a leading European demo partner, an entity acquired by Flex IT in early March 2022 to expand its demo services and circular computing portfolio across Europe.
Flex IT experienced real growth during a very difficult period in the world during the pandemic and proved that circular computing is a natural process that continues to gain traction. The industry is enjoying a real social and political Momentum. Businesses are also moving in this direction - not only suppliers and vendors, but also customers, who are increasingly demanding it. More and more companies are implementing sustainable policies and are eager to show their customers, employees and investors that this is not just talk, but that they are taking concrete action. They want to reflect this in their year-end ESG reports, and this is a momentum that will continue to build over the next few years. Flex IT is in an excellent position to respond to these choices and to demonstrate how it can make the process easier for organisations that want to make buying refurbished IT the norm.
Mr. Timmermans explains: "over the past five years, Flex IT has solidified its position as the European leader in IT refurbishment. I am very proud to have been able to lead and manage the growth of the company and to have brought it to this position. I am now very happy to hand over the reins to Andreas, in whom I have full confidence. The acquisition of MCKL required a lot of hard work and commitment on both sides. During this period it became clear that he and I shared common goals and ideas."
Andreas Mayer has a distinguished career in the industry, with over 25 years of international IT experience at IBM, Lenovo and HP. Prior to joining MCKL, he was Senior Director of Business Operations for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region at HP. He also spent more than 14 years at Lenovo, where he held various management positions in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, including General Manager of Benelux. This international background across Europe will be invaluable in his new role as CEO of Flex IT.
Mayer adds: "I look forward to building on the success Leon has achieved and continuing to champion sustainability and circular computing." With the lifespan of IT hardware now down to three to five years, each year IT waste continues to accumulate. The solution is to extend this hardware life cycle to significantly reduce the environmental impact. Mr. Mayer says, "Flex IT is moving in the right direction today and my appointment is a continuation of what we have been doing. I want to use all the tools at my disposal to continue to move in this direction and take advantage of the changing attitudes towards refurbished IT."
Timmermans is resolutely focused on sustainable development and concludes: "in my opinion, this must be a combination of sustainability, waste reduction and circularity. That's been my daily routine for almost 15 years. I'm looking forward to finding out where the next challenge will take me and I wish Andreas and his entire team the best. I know they will be able to take over."