CHANNEL CHIEF
ALEXANDER FOROOZANDÉ , Head of Channels – Middle East , Africa , CIS + Pakistan , Nozomi Networks , discusses the latest channel trends and tells us how the company works with its channel partners to ensure they flourish in a competitive market .
dDescribe your current job role and the parts that are somewhat challenging ? I ’ m responsible for channels in the Middle East , Africa , Pakistan and the CIS region at Nozomi Networks . My main areas of focus are setting Go-To-Market policies , defining business development strategies and identifying best-of-breed partners to accelerate growth , while serving and securing our customers on their Digital Transformation journey .
Today , IoT / OT security is becoming the most talked about topic among cybersecurity VARs , therefore our focus is to ensure the right calibre of partners are recruited , with continuous enablement and excellent alignment across both of our sales teams .
Can you explain how your company works with channel partners ?
At Nozomi Networks , our channel partners are vital to our success . Presently , we have a strictly two-tiered go-to-market ( GTM ) strategy , where we sell through distribution and then through our partners , rewarding distributors who bring the most value and partners who are quickest to identify qualified opportunities . Currently , we have around four distributors in this region and we ’ re steadily expanding . practices are immediately identified and rewarded accordingly .
What are the latest trends you see emerging across the channel ?
IT / IoT / OT convergence has not only become essential , but it is also occurring at a rapid rate . As such , we now see the emergence of VARs who are changing roles as subject matter experts and advisors in this space , supporting customers in their Digital Transformation journeys .
IoT / OT security is becoming the most talked about topic among cybersecurity VARs .
What is your management philosophy ?
It ’ s simple – integrity above all , lead with empathy and by example . Team effort over individualism . Transparency and clear goals . Set the vision and allow people to find their way towards achieving the overall objective .
Alexander Foroozandé , Head of Channels – Middle East , Africa , CIS + Pakistan , Nozomi Networks
How do you ensure channel partners flourish in a highly competitive market ?
The IoT / OT space is not a competitive or congested market yet , but channel partners who invest early and build IoT / OT security
When you look back at your career , what has been the most memorable achievement ?
Being in the tech industry for over two decades and specifically the cybersecurity sector for over 10 years , I ’ m grateful for
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