GEOFF GREENLAW at Pure Storage takes us through the opportunities , challenges , and innovative technology platforms , that regional channel partners can leverage to become a trusted advisor . For Greenlaw , time can never increase in a work week , so prioritisation is critical .

As VP of channel partners across EMEA and Latin America , I am responsible for overseeing the strategy and execution of all partner facing activities in these regions . It is a diverse and exciting role and I love working with our partners .

What are your strengths and abilities that you bring to the above role ?

I have worked in and with the channel community for 25 years , so I have a lot of experience in this area . Some things never go out of fashion , key among them is the ability to listen to partners and customers , then act on their feedback .

Another key point for me is the strength of our people and bringing out the best in them . It is the most important part of any channel strategy . Successful partnerships are about true relationships and developing understanding between people and organisations .

Please describe the opportunities and challenges that exist for channel partners in your market ?

The Middle Eastern business landscape looks very different after lockdowns , a recession , supply-chain issues , and inflation . But change brings opportunities for the channel as the ecosystem produce new ways to add value and come with us on our customers ’ journeys .

This year , our customers ’ customers want different things , which means their priorities have changed . For one we are seeing the growing importance of ESG in boardrooms across the region – in fact , sustainability is now a top three criteria in all RFPs we receive . Customers are demanding that ESG be addressed , and partners need to be able to respond accordingly . Many partners are creating mini boards or steering committees to address the issue or partnering with vendors that offer solutions , like flash storage , which have been proven to reduce enterprises ’ carbon footprint .

Secondly , driven by the current economic climate , we are seeing an increase in subscription model adoption among enterprises in the region . Transition to subscription solutions creates new possibilities for partners to build services around a customer solution . However , there needs to be an evolution of the compensation model for those selling subscription services . Vendors and partners will need to work closely together to make subscription an attractive and profitable model for customers , and for partner sales teams as well .

Which technologies and innovations can make a difference to the channel market dynamics soon ?

There are a couple of technologies that channel players , looking to differentiate themselves in the market , should consider investing in . We recently made a technology announcement which means an all-flash data centre can be a reality . This innovation eliminates the need for spinning disk in any part of an organisation ’ s infrastructure environment and is a game changer for the industry .

Geoff Greenlaw , VP Channel EMEA and LATAM , Pure Storage

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