Centrix appoints virtualisation duo

Virtualisation vendor Centrix Software has appointed two former VMware and Citrix Systems gurus to shake up its sales strategy and routes to market.

Jane Rimmer and Mark Stradling have joined the vendor as non-executive directors, taking on advisory roles within Centrix’s management team.

The appointments follow the vendor’s release of Centrix WorkSpace 3.0, an application aggregation and publishing platform for enterprises.

Designed as a complementary solution for companies already using virtualisation, WorkSpace removes the complexity of managing and publishing different services from different systems making the experience more consumable for the end user.

Jon Fuller, operations director at Centrix Software, said: “I am excited about the appointments of Jane and Mark as they both have extensive experience and knowledge to bring to the roles.

“Along with the launch of WorkSpace, customers will be able to experience the real value of virtualisation.”

Rimmer brings more than 20 years of experience with her, previously holding marketing director positions at both VMware and Citrix Systems, where she was responsible for developing the vendors’ go-to-market strategies.

More recently she has specialised in working with software startups, advising companies such as ScriptLogic, Vizioncore and Netuitive on their EMEA go-to-market strategies.

On her new appointment, Rimmer said: “We will be recruiting an estimated 20 UK partners this year, eventually expanding in EMEA and North America – these partners will be fully trained and up to speed on our portfolio.

“The virtualisation space is very busy at the moment and a lot of resellers are jumping on the bandwagon – resellers need a solution that will differentiate them from the competition.”

Stradling brings 18 years of industry experience with him to the role, moving from VMware where he was vice president from 2003. While at VMware Stradling established the vendor’s first EMEA operations and helped achieved a growth of $750m (£503m) per annum for four years.

Prior to VMware, Stradling was vice president at Citrix Systems, where he aided developing the company’s northern EMEA sales, channel, pre-sales engineering and field marketing activities.

Stradling said: “Jane and I know each well from previous roles at VMware and Citrix – we plan to use WorkSpace as a springboard to work with a select number of new partners. Resellers that already specialise in Citrix, VMware and Microsoft as well as the consolidation, high availability and services space will suit Centrix well as a partner.

“There is a partner programme in the pipeline, but it is not ready yet. The elements are coming together and we are in talks with potential partners at present about their needs and requirements.”