Kinly has reappointed Vel Johnson as its managing director for the U.S.
With a career spanning more than 40-plus years, Johnson held senior leadership positions in some of the world’s leading multi-billion-dollar technology companies. Johnson returns as Kinly’s U.S. managing director, having originally relinquished the position in December 2021 as part of his semi-retirement plans, after three years.
Based in Kinly’s Cedar Knolls (NJ) corporate office—one of four on the east coast (Fort Lauderdale, Washington, New York)—Johnson was inspired to return to Kinly following positive discussions with newly appointed CEO, Tom Martin, who revealed his ambitious growth and expansion plans for the company in the US market.
[SCN Exclusive: New Kinly CEO Martin Sets His Sights on U.S. Market Growth]
“We have identified opportunities in the US market and under Vel’s leadership, I have no doubt those opportunities and our ambitions as a company can be fulfilled," said Martin. "I’m delighted to welcome Vel back to the Kinly family.”
Nicknamed ‘The Coach’ by his colleagues—Johnson will now develop and execute a more business and culturally aligned go-to-market strategy to mirror that deployed in Kinly’s other global markets. This includes Europe, where Kinly now holds a commanding market leadership position—an achievement both Johnson and Martin have long-term ambitions to replicate.
Deeper relationships/heightened value for Kinly
Designed to help seize new business opportunities, while further enhancing the company’s already enviable quality-led market proposition, the new strategy will see Kinly significantly strengthen and deepen its strategic relationships with existing leading AV/IT vendors in the U.S., while introducing new ones where value can be added. This will allow Kinly to deliver more choice, plus enhanced value and expertise to both new and existing clients to support all their AV and UCC installation and workspace transformation needs.
[Kinly named Logitech’s EMEA ‘Services Partner of the Year’]
Kinly already boasts some of the world’s leading Fortune 500 enterprise companies among its customer base, where quality, reliability, and security of their AV/IT solutions are imperative, 24/7. Customers include, but are far from limited to, global banks, retailers, big pharma firms, food and drink manufacturers/producers, legal and music streaming companies, among others.
“I am delighted to return to Kinly and to be entrusted by Tom to help guide this already burgeoning business on a new more deeply aligned journey to achieve even bigger and greater things in the U.S. market," Johnson said. "I was enjoying my retirement but after the call from Tom, the opportunity to be part of something so special, was simply too good to turn down. I feel determined and excited by what the future holds for my team and the company as whole.”
