Mailbox: Setting the record straight on the founding of Dimension Data

Roger Reece, a key player in the early days of Dimension Data, shares untold insights about the company's founding story. Contrary to popular belief, Dimension Data was co-founded by Werner Sievers, Peter Neale, and Kevin Hamilton in 1982, with the Reece brothers joining shortly after to merge their own venture into what became a groundbreaking tech enterprise. Jeremy Ord, often credited as the founder, joined later as Sales Manager with a shareholding. Here's the story behind the start of a South African tech giant.

Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.

The seventh BizNews Conference, BNC#7, is to be held in Hermanus from March 11 to 13, 2025. The 2025 BizNews Conference is designed to provide an excellent opportunity for members of the BizNews community to interact directly with the keynote speakers, old (and new) friends from previous BNC events – and to interact with members of the BizNews team. Register for BNC#7 here. 

Hi Alec,

You might have heard of me or know about me from Dimension Data.

Having watched  your interview with Rob as regards the DD scandal where  you mentioned  Jeremy Ord as being the founder of Dimension Data, I thought it is about time that the record gets

put straight.- – because I was there.

DD was started by Werner Sievers together with Peter Neale and Kevin Hamilton in 1982.

About 6 to 8 months later my brother Wayne Reece and myself also started  a network company and named it Data Systems Design that basically sold baseband modems and also had deal with DD that we could sell their Comdesign

Multiplexors (Werner had acquired the agency from the states) and DD likewise could sell our modems.

Not long after that Werner approached us to combined the two companies and move to his offices, which we did after concluding the numbers.

WE really started doing very well after that and moved to bigger offices.

At the time Werner approached Jeremy and we employed him as a Sales Manager with a shareholding.

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL VENTURE AND THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME.

But I won't bore you  with the details.

I trust this clear up any misconception.

You really have a great show which I enjoy thoroughly

Regards

Roger Reece