FD Insights Issue 10 | Page 23

F irst Distribution not only distributes within the South African IT channel, but into certain SADC countries as well, depending on individual vendor agreements. Overseeing these African operations is the team consisting of Albert Mashigo and Nisha Kristnen. Time to get more insight into this dynamic duo… What are your guys backgrounds? How did you get into IT? Nisha: I started at M&PD Distributors back in the day, then joined HPS. Siltek Distribution Dynamics was next, then Axiz Workgroup, and now First Distribution. All-in-all I’ve been in the distribution industry for around 25 years. I enjoy the distribution industry and it was always a conscious decision to remain involved here. Albert: I’m a township boy, born and bred in Soweto, and started with no information technology exposure at all at an early age. An IBM advert in the Rand Daily Mail was inviting recruits for their apprenticeship program and to be computer technicians. I successfully passed all the tests and met the criteria they were looking for, and was subsequently employed in 1982. in