Zen used its annual Partner Event this week to kick-start a new era in the company’s evolution, unveiling its first Chairman, ambitious growth targets and a renewed commitment to a ‘people first’ approach.

Chairman Paul Stobart was officially introduced to the audience at what he described as an “incredibly exciting time” for both Zen and its channel partners. Paul brings huge experience to the role, having been part of the executive team that took turnover at business software company Sage from £120 million to £1.3 billion between 1996 and 2011.

Paul told the event:“With the convergence of voice and data, the emergence of cloud-based services and a multitude of other propositions coming onto the market, the opportunities for channel partners and Zen have never been better.”

Welcoming Paul to Zen, CEO Richard Tang explained his decision to reconfigure Zen’s management structure, bringing in a board of directors for the first time.

Richard said: “Zen has a huge opportunity over the next few years and if we are to maximise that opportunity and really scale Zen up to be a major contender in the UK market, we need a leadership structure that is even stronger and the ability to tap into even more experience and capability.

“Our current senior management team have done a brilliant job. The separate board, chaired by Paul, will work closely with the SMT to unlock new and exciting opportunities for growth.”