History and Milestones

Dimension Data was founded in 1983 in South Africa and today operates in 47 countries on six continents.  Our growth has been driven by our clients’ need to operate efficiently in an environment where collaborative partnerships and the intelligent network have emerged as the two most important business enablers. Our heritage in networking and understanding of network-related technologies differentiate us from our competitors. Moving forward into the future, our focus has evolved to adapting the design, management and development of business technology to be a better servant to the greater business and use it as a tool to drive innovation, enable market leadership and make companies tighter, better, more cost-effective and competitive.

Our vision is to be world leaders in the provision and management of specialist IT infrastructure solutions that help our clients achieve their business goals. Who we are today is very much the result of where we have come from and our business experiences along the way. You can gain greater insight into our business and growth from this snapshot of our history and milestones.

The evolution of Dimension Data spans more than 20 years. What started as a small, local company founded by a small circle of people, has evolved into a world-class organisation delivering advanced solutions to premium clients and employing over 11 055 people across the globe.

1983 – 1994
In 1983, with a simple vision of ‘wanting to do great things’, three young, ambitious South African men left the comfort of salaried jobs to start their own business. This was the start of the Dimension Data story. The first decade of the company’s history was characterised by strong domestic growth as Dimension Data became a homegrown success story in the South African and African markets. Dimension Data established a formidable reputation as an industry leader in network technology. This domain expertise was to inform all our related lines of business.

1983

1987

• Jeremy Ord appointed Chairman
• Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange at 150 cents a share

1993

• Dimension Data Botswana founded

1994

• Dimension Data South Africa becomes a Cisco Gold Partner, one of the first six outside of the US.
• Chernikeeff (later became DDUK) also named a Cisco Gold Partner
• Expansion into Software and Services sectors

1995 – 1997
In this period, Dimension Data cast its net outside the African continent and focused on expansion in the Asia Pacific region.  Our technologies continued to evolve to provide cutting-edge solutions and enable our clients to achieve their business goals.

1996

• Acquisition of 25% of Internet Solutions
• International expansion strategy with acquisition of 45% of Com Tech, Australia

1997

• Acquisition of 77% of The Merchant Group, a UK company
• Increased acquisition in Com Tech (Australia) from 45 to 65%
• Acquisition of Datacraft Limited (Australia)
• Acquisition of 51% in Singapore-listed Datacraft Asia via the purchase of Datacraft Limited
• Acquisition of majority share in Internet Solutions
• Dimension Data Interactive formed as part of the development of the Group's customer management focus

1998 – 2000
Pursuing an aggressive global strategy, Dimension Data focused its attention on expansion into the northern hemisphere. We secured a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, and key acquisitions gave us a foothold in new markets in the UK, North America and Europe.

1998

• Acquisition of Plessey and establishes new telecommunications company, in a joint venture with WorldWide African Investment Holdings
• Acquisition of TCO, a Microsoft-focused IT outsourcing company

1999

• Acquisition of 85.7% of GK Communications Ltd., a leading UK voice and data integration company
• Acquisition of 49.9% of Chernikeeff Networks Ltd, leading UK network integrator
• Acquisition of the Comparex Holdings' European networking businesses, in a ZAR8.1 billion deal, making Dimension Data the world's largest independent networking services company at the time
• Acquisition of 70% of RE/COM Group, a New Jersey-based independent network integration company, for US$40-million
• Won 7 of the 30 awards at 1999 First National Bank Most Admired IT Company Awards for leadership in service and innovation. (Africa)

2000

• Dimension Data lists on the London Stock Exchange
• Dimension Data launches its unique and globally standardised Managed Services offerings, using its proprietary Global Services Operating Architecture, providing customers with 24x7 remote network monitoring and maintenance services.  Portal based visibility of the service allows customers real time, on-line access and comprehensive reporting capabilities provide decision making information around the clock.
• Dimension Data becomes one of the first network and e-business services companies to achieve Cisco Gold Partner Certifications on five continents.
• Acquisition of Netpartner AG, a leading Zurich-based network integration company, by Dimension Data Switzerland
• Acquisition of TimeBridge Technologies Inc, a leading Maryland-based network services and e-Business solutions provider for US$135 million in cash
• Acquisition of Data Comm Systems Inc., a US network integration company
• Acquisition of Integrated Systems Group, a New York-based network integration company, for US$70-million
• Acquisition of the outstanding 50.01% of UK-based Chernikeeff for GBP200 million
• Acquisition of the outstanding 24% interest in Dimension Data's Australian subsidiary, Com Tech Communications (Pty) Ltd. for approximately US$146 million

2001 – 2009
Dimension Data drew on its diversity and resources to weather the IT industry slump of the early 2000s. Our Annual Results of the past five years indicate a strong, sustainable upward trend in growth and profits as we focus on executing our vision of becoming world leaders in the provision and management of specialist IT infrastructure solutions. Although  we are now entering an economic phase where global markets are looking uncertain, we are well positioned to gain greater market share with our unique outcomes-focused vision and disciplined execution of our overall business strategy.

2001

• Acquisition of Planet CTI SA, a leading computer telephony integration company based in Brussels, Belgium
• Dimension Data Holdings plc acquired 100% of the equity in In Time Netbuilding BV, a leading network and voice integration company headquartered in Amsterdam.
• Acquisition of Matrix Networking Group, a network integration company based in Charlotte, North Carolina
• Acquisition of Premier Systems Integrators, a leading Charlotte, North Carolina-based systems integration firm

2003

• Revenues exceed US$2 billion

2004

• Black Economic Empowerment consortium makes a 25,01% equity purchase in Dimension Data South Africa
• Brett Dawson appointed Group CEO
• David Sherriffs appointed Group CFO

2005

• Dimension Data Nigeria launched, with 51% shareholding acquisition in ROE
• Dimension Data South Africa increases shareholding in Internet Solutions to 80%
• Dimension Data signs first contract in Middle-East (Saudi Arabia)
• Dimension Data named Cisco Global Partner of the Year
• Dimension Data amalgamates UK and Continental Europe to form one region known as Dimension Data Europe

2006

• Dimension Data becomes sole shareholder of Internet Solutions acquiring the remaining 20% shareholding
• Dimension Data in Botswana signs Citizenship Empowerment Partnership with Principal Investments who acquire a 49% stake in Dimension Data Botswana
• Dimension Data is named Cisco Global IPC Partner of the Year
• Dimension Data South Africa increases shareholding in Plessey (Proprietary) Limited to 100%
• Dimension Data East Africa launched, with 51% shareholding acquisition in ICL Holdings from Sameer Africa.
• Dimension Data Namibia launched, with 51% shareholding acquisition in ICT Holdings from Ohlthaver and List Group

2007

• Dimension Data opens representative offices in Canada and Mexico and acquires a controlling share in Datacraft Brazil and renames the company Dimension Data Brazil. Dimension Data’s presence in the Western Hemisphere is now known as Dimension Data in the Americas.
• Dimension Data opens representative offices in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia thus expanding its operations to form the Middle East & Africa region.
• Dimension Data consolidates its operations in Europe with the opening of an office in the Czech Republic and the sale of its Swedish based operations.
• Dimension Data wins the Cisco Partner of the Year Award for the second time.
• Dimension Data in Australia wins the BRW Best Professional Services Firm of the Year Award and the Best IT Services Firm of the Year Award.

2008

• Dimension Data celebrates its landmark 25th anniversary on 28 February.
• Dimension Data confirms its commitment to global environmental sustainability by joining the Green Grid, releasing an Environmental Policy Statement, and submitting its first report to the international Carbon Disclosure Project.
• Dimension Data officially launches its business in the United Arab Emirates.
• Dimension Data wins 20 awards, including three global awards, at the annual Cisco Partner Conference.
• Dimension Data wins two Global Partner Awards from Microsoft: Global Partner of the Year in Information Worker Systems, Office Deployment Partner of the Year and Global Partner of the Year in Infrastructure Solutions, Systems Management Partner of the Year.
• Dimension Data is named McAfee Global Partner of the Year.
• Dimension Data is positioned as a Challenger in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Managed and Professional Network Service Providers.
• Dimension Data becomes sole shareholder of Datacraft Asia Ltd, acquiring the remaining 44.9% stake.
• Dimension Data reports outstanding results, with revenues exceeding US$4.5 billion.

2009

• Dimension Data launches Dimension Data Angola.
• Acquired Teksys, a UK Microsoft infrastructure and licensing services company.
• Dimension Data signs MoU with Tata Communications to collaborate on Telepresence.
• Dimension Data achieves a milestone and sells over one million IP phones worldwide.
• Dimension Data scoops 19 Cisco Partner Summit Global and Theatre awards including global awards for Technology Excellence Partner of the Year, European Markets Partner of the Year, and Asia Pacific Partner of the Year (Datacraft Asia).
• Dimension Data Wins Three 2009 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Awards.
• Dimension Data signs Global Gold Partner Agreement with Check Point.
• BusinessWeek Names Dimension Data on its Info Tech 100 List.
• Dimension Data sells 49% of its Tanzanian operation to WiA Company Ltd, a wholly owned Tanzanian ICT operation. The new entity trades as Dimension Data Tanzania.
• Dimension Data acquires a stake in a Morocco company called Telcom.
• Dimension Data is commended by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), for its approach to climate change disclosure.