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Avnet Abacus announces new President

Avnet Abacus announces new President

Avnet Abacus announced that Mario Merino will be appointed as President of Avnet Abacus, effective 1st July 2025. He will succeed Rudy Van Parijs, who is set to retire at the end of Avnet’s 2025 fiscal year after more than three decades with the company.

Rudy Van Parijs has played a pivotal role in Avnet Abacus’ success since taking on the presidency in 2018. Under his leadership, the company doubled its revenue and strengthened its position in the market, expanding its network share among key suppliers. His strategic vision and dedication have left the company in an excellent position for continued growth.

“Rudy’s leadership and contributions to Avnet over the past 34 years have been outstanding. His ability to drive growth and build strong relationships with customers and suppliers has been instrumental in our success. We thank him for his dedication and wish him a well-earned retirement,” said Slobodan Puljarevic, President Avnet EMEA.


Mario Merino brings extensive industry experience and technical expertise to his new role. Currently serving as Regional Vice President South Europe at Avnet Abacus, Mario has been part of the Avnet family for over 20 years.

A graduate in telecommunications engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, he began his career as an electronics designer and field applications engineer (FAE), later running his own software engineering company. He joined Memec in 2000, which became part of Avnet in 2005, and held various technical and leadership positions across Avnet Silica and Avnet Abacus before taking on his current role.

“With Mario’s deep technical background, extensive industry knowledge, and proven leadership, he is the ideal choice to lead Avnet Abacus into the future. We are confident that under his leadership, the company will continue to thrive and drive innovation in the IP&E market,” added Slobodan Puljarevic, President Avnet EMEA.

The company will announce a successor for Mario’s current role in due course. In the meantime, Rudy will remain with Avnet Abacus until June 2025 to ensure a seamless leadership transition.

Managing Editor
Paige Hookway is the Managing Editor of Procurement Pro, where she brings over a decade of industry experience to shaping insightful, engaging, and forward-thinking content for the global electronics community. After graduating from the University of Greenwich with a 2:1 in English Literature, Paige blended her love of storytelling with a deep curiosity for technology – carving out a career that champions both innovation and the people behind it. Across her 10+ years in the sector, Paige has developed a strong reputation for uncovering emerging trends, translating complex concepts into accessible insights, and spotlighting the voices shaping the future of engineering. She is particularly passionate about encouraging the next generation of engineers and elevating women in tech narratives that inspire, empower, and drive meaningful change. When she’s not immersed in the latest engineering developments, Paige can be found wrapped up in a blanket with a cup of tea and a good book.