New Salford Software boss plans to treble sales

THE new chief of Salford Software, which specialises in identity and access management technology to the education and healthcare sectors, has set an ambitious goal of trebling revenues in the next three years.
 
IT sector veteran Paul Beaumont, who succeeded James Doggart as CEO lat last year, wants to grow turnover from around £5.5m to more than £15m by 2015 as it brings new products to market and expands into new sectors.

The company, which is wholly-owned by the University of Salford, but independently managed, has recently moved to the university’s new MediaCityUK base, and has already got off to a flying start this year.

Mr Beaumont, pictured,  says: “We will complete the first half of FY 2012 over target which is an outstanding start to the year. I hope to build on that success by introducing other major product sets primarily into the education market; products we will develop both in-house and also by outsourcing.

Salford already supplies more than over 90 of the UK’s 120 universities and a further 100 FE colleges.
 
Mr Beaumont says: “Salford Software has an established track record in its key markets and the plan going forward is to expand and grow an already successful business by developing new products and potentially expanding into new market places.

“We have already developed in-house and launched one major product, and currently have a further major development in progress offshore.
 
“There’s much more we can provide to the market place; I am particularly interested in the part that CRM can play in this process.

“I am also astounded at the savings and efficiencies that educational and health establishments can make by utilising unified communications.”
 
Mr Beaumont, who outside of work is president of award-winning Yorkshire brass band, Brighouse and Rastrick, also has a strong track record in the technology sector.

He previously managed Motorola’s internet and networking group across Europe, Middle East & Africa, and has a record of building global start ups such as ADC Telecom’s Broadband Access and Transport Group.

He was also group CEO of Protek, a mobile billing systems and network management business for US private equity firm Warburg Pincus, before leading a management buyout and eventually selling the business.
 
Mr Beaumont is positive about the relationship the business has with its parent, stating: “We have a wealth of academic knowledge and experience to call upon from within the campus and we are always looking for common ground to explore in terms of Salford Software finding commercial opportunities for projects within the university – it’s a win win relationship.”