MATTHIEU BRIGNONE , VP Partners , EMEA at Pure Storage , a developer of all-flash data storage hardware and software products , who strongly believes that people need to be empowered to make decisions to give the best of themselves . Brignone outlines here how he is working with the channel ecosystem in the EMEA region .

Describe your current job role and the parts that are challenging ?

As VP of partners across EMEA , my role

ecosystem and our internal teams to deliver the right solutions at the right time . I am here to enable partners to grow their business and match customer needs with partner expertise . Not being able to meet people face to face has been challenging for the last 18 months . I enjoy the relationships built by spending time with people . Like everyone else , I have had to adapt how I do this .

Can you explain how your company works with channel partners ?

Pure is a 100 % channel focused organisation so everything we do has to enable them to succeed . Our partner pool has deliberately been kept focused . We collaborate with partners that are willing to invest time and resources into building a Pure practice – driven , enthusiastic about technology and most importantly , committed to helping customers solve real world data challenges .

Additionally , we continue to innovate and invest in our partners to ensure they have the products , skills and resources to be successful . This makes for good business , is key to survival and helps partners differentiate .

How do you ensure channel partners flourish in a highly competitive market ?

Pure believes in one simple credo : the success of our partners is the success of Pure Storage . The Pure Partner Programme is designed to empower channel partners with everything they need – from sales resources and technical training to marketing support and incentives and rewards – to accelerate their business and drive customer impact . By listening to partner feedback on what they need most , Pure delivers continuous programme advancements to help partners thrive and move their business forward .

What are the latest trends you see emerging across the channel ?

One of the biggest trends we are seeing in the channel is the pivot to As-a-service offerings . Organisations are looking for flexible consumption models that deliver agility and additional services beyond simply a financial model . In fact , a recent study by IDC predicts that by 2024 , 43 % of organisations expect consumption of As-aservice models to increase as a direct result of the most recent economic crisis . We see more partners selling flexible consumption models as customers respond positively to these offerings .

What will it take for partners to thrive in 2022 ?

We are seeing an acceleration in customers demanding true flexible consumption models when looking for data management solutions . The pressures of the pandemic have only accelerated this need – business services need to be scaled and made available on demand , to provide both financial flexibility and real competitive advantage .

The truly standout channel partners of the future will be those that recognise that everything-as-a-service ( XaaS ) is about much more than financial concerns . The value comes not just from subscriptionstyle costing models , but from the full-

Matthieu Brignone , VP Partners , EMEA at Pure Storage

INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS Issue 47 63