Advanced, one of the UK’s leading software companies, today announces the appointment of Andy Williams as the new Head of Professional Services. Advanced is undergoing one of the largest transformations of any UK business today and this announcement is one of several recent additions to the senior management team.
Williams’ priority when he starts his new role in June 2016 will be to drive consistency and excellence throughout the professional services team to ensure customers continue to receive the highest quality service.
Williams has more than 15 years’ experience in top-level consulting in the UK and USA. His career within the software market includes six years at Dell and prior to joining Advanced he was a Consulting Director with Vista Consulting Group (VCG), part of Vista Equity Partners which acquired Advanced last year.
Since joining Advanced in April 2015 as VP of Strategic Projects, Williams has overseen multiple projects to transform the business. Following its acquisition, Advanced has implemented new company-wide systems, realigned its business units, opened two new state-of-the-art offices, undergone a major rebrand and embarked on an ambitious recruitment campaign.
Williams says, “I was interested in Advanced due to its successful history and impressive growth. It was also clear that Vista has a strong vision for the company which I knew from my experience of working for them with their portfolio companies meant it would be an exciting time to join.
“I’m looking forward to creating a strong professional services community within the company, ensuring our resources are in the best positions to support our customers. I will also be reviewing and standardising processes across the company as well as ensuring we are using our new internal systems to best effect.
“All of this aims to ensure we are working as effectively and efficiently as possible in order to deliver a best in the market service to our customers.”
Gordon Wilson, CEO, Advanced, says, “Andy is well versed in Vista’s approach and has a great breadth of knowledge and experience in transforming business operations to great effect.
“With his experience and skills of senior-level strategic planning, complex global transformations and systems implementation programmes, I am confident that he is the right person to lead us forward in delivering high quality customer services.”
Williams started his career as a management consultant for Accenture working with a variety of companies like Dell, Vodafone and BT. He then spent six years with Dell working on global transformation programmes including setting up new companies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Williams adds, “Vista has proven best practices in supporting software companies to fulfil their potential, and I am looking forward to applying those to Advanced and building on the company’s success so far.”
