Former Internet Solutions (IS) CEO Angus MacRobert has acquired a stake in Three6Five Network Solutions in what is the first of a number of investments he plans to make in the information and communications technology industry.

MacRobert (pictured), who left IS in October last year after eight years for “personal reasons”, was under a restraint of trade from IS parent Dimension Data until 1 April. This kept him from any dealings in the technology industry. With the restraint lifted, MacRobert says he can “move on and start a new career”.

The terms of the Three6Five deal have not been disclosed, though MacRobert says he has acquired a minority stake. He plans to be actively involved in the business and has been appointed as a director.

Three senior ex-IS staffers — Jeff Fletcher, George Stylianou and Mauritz Lewies — founded Three6Five 12 months ago to provide high-level consulting and engineering support to enterprise customers and Internet service providers.

The company particularly wants to assist smaller Internet service providers that are expanding in Africa, providing services like product development, business-case development and technical consulting. In the enterprise space, services include providing vendor-neutral advice to companies evaluating vendor proposals, and network auditing.

MacRobert, who was succeeded at IS by long-time Dimension Data executive Derek Wilcocks, says he plans to invest in “four of five” companies, all in the technology industry, becoming operationally involved with all of them and, in some cases, helping them expand outside SA. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral