Organisations are optimising their GTM and looking at ways to enable , coach and support their frontline teams with technology .
What are the latest trends you see emerging across the channel ?
With the majority of customers in this region having undergone a CRM implementation or transformation in the last 10 years or so , I ’ m seeing a lot of these consultancies and systems integrators ( SIs ) focusing more on ISV platforms that bolt-on to CRM technology to help the company ’ s most important asset – the employees . The goal is to improve the employee experience and support front-line teams to have the best chance of success in their roles .
What is your management philosophy ?
I firmly believe that any relationship is built on trust – and therefore I take great pride in maintaining transparency in my approach to management , plus fostering an open and collaborative culture – with both my colleagues as well as partners and customers – that are open to trying new things .
When you look back at your career , what has been the most memorable achievement ?
I was recognised as a Finalist for an Australian Channel Excellence Award in 2020 . To be considered for this industry and peer-reviewed award category was a great personal achievement within the channel segment . I ’ m also very proud when we get a key win in collaboration with our partners .
What made you think of a career in technology ?
I was exposed to software-as-a-service ( SaaS ) vendors during my time as a consultant at KPMG Australia . In my role , I was involved in numerous projects featuring SaaS technologies and quickly came to understand the impact these could have in a company ’ s transformation and digitalisation strategy .
However , technology has always been a passion . I love learning about and playing with the latest gadgets and keeping up with emerging technologies , whether it ’ s the intersection of Blockchain applications in our lives or how AR / VR is moving from a gaming solution to have business application .
What do you think will be the hot technology talking point of 2021 ?
Sales enablement is certainly evolving very quickly in the APAC and Japan region , taking it from an emerging field to one being considered by all companies . After all , you can ’ t run a modern business in a digital economy on spreadsheets . We saw the trend emerge in North America more than five years ago and it ’ s now made its way to Australia , New Zealand and broader Asia . Organisations are optimising their GTM and looking at ways to enable , coach and support their front-line teams with technology . For sales and marketing teams , this means more than just a CRM deployment and that ’ s what ’ s fuelling sales enablement .
I also believe that the virtual / digital and physical worlds are intersecting – meaning emerging tech like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are coming to the forefront . This has really accelerated through the pandemic where everyone was in lockdown but still wanted to interact – attend virtual concerts , watch sporting events and buy clothes / cars , but do it in an engaging and “ real ” experience .
What are your personal interests and where do you like to spend most of your time after work ?
While I love advances in technology and the latest gadgets I can use in everyday life , I am even more passionate about all things football ( or soccer ) – playing , watching , collecting memorabilia – and everything in between . Pre-lockdown you would find me watching games at odd hours of the night / morning with other Chelsea fans at the supporters pub , but these days you ’ re likely to find me camped in front of the TV whenever there is a game on . It ’ s a great social outlet to be able to switch off after work and watch a game or go to training , and something I ’ ve missed dearly during our lockdowns . •
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