F5 Networks

By CIO New Zealand staff | Monday, January 11 2010

It’s all about cloud computing for F5 Networks and with good reason, considering the buzz from competitors and business alike.

Global HQ: Seattle, Washington, US
Website: www.f5.com
Global leader: John McAdam, CEO, president and director
Local leader: Kurt Hansen, MD, Australia and New Zealand
Core activity: Custom information infrastructure
Revenue: US$650.2 million (FY07-08 ended September 30)
Key customers: Trade Me, FNZ, Coles Group, Qantas, Toyota
Employees: 1700

It’s all about cloud computing for F5 Networks and with good reason, considering the buzz from competitors and business alike.

In a study commissioned this year to examine the pervasiveness of this new technology trend, the company found more than 80 percent of respondents were at least in the trial stages of public or private cloud deployments.

On the local front, F5 Networks Australia and New Zealand gained new leadership this year with the appointment of Kurt Hansen to the managing director’s role in May.

The networking appliances company also made some advances on the subcontinent, signing a deal with distributor Avnet to supply F5 products to customers in India.

The company is ahead of the curve in terms of recovery from the economic downturn, with analysts saying they have observed more orders than anticipated for its computer networking products. Rachael Bolton