Fortinet to defy crunch with distributor signing

Unified threat management vendor bucks the downturn trend with plans for steady growth and expansion

Judd: Some resellers were not fulfilling their side of the bargain

Fortinet is poised to sign up a third UK distributor in response to a 72 per cent rise in local revenue last year.

The unified threat management vendor is close to agreeing terms with an unnamed distributor thought to be more broadline than existing partners VCW and VADition.
VADition, which generated half of Fortinet’s UK sales last year, has built up a six-strong Fortinet sales team since its appointment in November 2007.

But VADition business development director Barrie Desmond was not concerned that the move would hurt his business.

“Fortinet is one of the only firms in Silicon Valley hiring and not firing. We are still seeing month-on-month growth with Fortinet, which tells me it is ready for another distributor.”

VCW Security managing director Graham Fox agreed: “Fortinet has been after a third distributor for some time and there is only so much business two distributors can do.”

Fortinet UK country manager Paul Judd said he has stepped up reseller policing since he took the reins in 2007.

“A number that were Gold and Silver last year are now Bronze because they were not fulfilling their side of the bargain,” he said.