Direct Distribution Services is a focused IT distribution company servicing the Southern Africa region. We focus on the creative markets, including the Internet, multimedia, graphics and video industries. DDS is the authorised distributor for a number of world-leading vendors, including Macromedia, Corel, VectorWorks, Microtek, LaCie, PANTONE, SWiSH, Quark & OnOne. DDS also supplies products from a number of other vendors.

DDS was founded in 2000, by Ivan Shamley, Jim O’Connor and Estelle O’Connor, and is based in Cape Town, South Africa. The founders have been in the IT graphics industry for more than 20years collectively. Ivan Shamley has been Macromedia’s distributor in the region since 1992, and has been involved in distribution of IT products since 1990, including Apple, Asante, Newgen and numerous other products. Jim O’Connor was the national sales manager for one of the largest repro and graphics reseller companies in SA, and owned Cadart, a distribution company for Iomega, LaCie & Agfa, for the past 5 years. Estelle O’Connor was previously a branch manager for a large SA bank and has been the financial director of Cadart for the past number of years.

DDS supplies product through an extensive reseller channel in Southern Africa, with more than a 300 resellers and VARs and has an aggressive marketing strategy, aimed directly at both the end-user and reseller channels. DDS has numerous alliances with other local suppliers of products, which compliment its own product offering.

DDS’ goal is to become the leading supplier of software and digital products for the creative and internet industries, and is looking at adding products from a number of other vendors to its portfolio. Focus on service and support of its products is most important.