Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 27 | Page 61

CHANNEL CHIEF For PAUL RUINAARD , Country Manager – Sub Saharan Africa for Nutanix, investing in programmes where partners can make healthy margins and engaging early to assist in the complete sales cycle is vital. D Describe your current job role and the parts that are somewhat challenging? Can you explain how your company works with channel partners? I am the Country Manager – Sub Saharan Africa for Nutanix. The challenging aspects of my job includes the amount of change in the market with topics like public cloud and customers saying they are using a cloud first or all in on the cloud approach. Many are still trying to operationalise this approach and it is slowing down projects once they realise the scope and complexity of cloud migrations. We are halfway across the desert on many cloud migrations and hoping we aren’t going to run out of water. Other areas include skills leaving the country and finally, the tough trading environment where the economy is not growing and consequently customers are not investing in new projects or are delaying planned projects. INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS Issue 27 We are a channel only company – all our business is done through local channel partners and through our distribution. We don’t take any business direct. We have programmes to tier our partners based on their skills and revenues. Paul Ruinaard, Country Manager – Sub Saharan Africa for Nutanix We are halfway across the desert on many cloud migrations and hoping we aren’t going to run out of water. 61