Alan Hyde steps up to head NEC Australia

Ex-SAP Australia and New Zealand chief Alan Hyde has taken on a new role leading the local operation of Japanese electronics giant NEC.

"NEC has been an important player in Australia's technology market for more than 40 years and has a proud heritage of delivering quality products and services to an enormous number of customers," Hyde said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to building on this success and growing the business in this important market."

Hyde is the first non-Japanese executive to lead the company in Australia, according to NEC.

"Australia is a great market for NEC and the appointment of Mr Hyde reflects its importance to the global business," said Kiyofumi Kusaka, CEO of NEC Asia-Pacific. "His local knowledge and expertise will pay huge dividends as we embrace new markets and enter a new period of growth."

"The pedigree of NEC Australia's customer portfolio is second to none," said Hyde. "I aim to build on this strong foundation and marry my knowledge of the Australian technology market with the innovation and passion of NEC Australia's staff and business partners."

Hyde took the chief executive position at SAP Australia from Geraldine McBride in January 2007 after McBride was promoted. Hyde was with SAP for five years before he resigned in January 2008, with reports at the time suggesting he had left to take a break.

In his pre-SAP years, the new NEC MD held high-ranking roles at PeopleSoft in Australia and the UK, and IBM Australia. Post-SAP, Hyde held a corporate strategy advisor position.