All change for Microsoft team

Microsoft restructures global partner teams

Microsoft resellers were faced with new management contacts last week as the software giant reshuffled its internal partner team.

Microsoft’s partner sales director Jonathan Hughes has left the firm after 14 years to “pursue other interests”. Karl Noakes, formally director of partner development and marketing at Microsoft will now head up the partner solution sales organisation UK, focusing on system integrators and ISVs. Microsoft is currently recruiting for Noakes’ replacement.

Steve Haddock will continue to manage the transactional partner business, which covers distributors, Large Account Resellers and DRM partners, while Paul White will remain responsible for the Dynamics partners that sell Microsoft’s business applications.

The four heads will all report to Scott Dodds, general manager of Microsoft’s Small and Midsized Solutions and Partners (SMS&P) business.

Noakes said: “This re-organisation is part of a worldwide restructure of our global partner teams. In my new role I can create a dedicated focus around partners that sell solutions. We have got a big launch year of products coming up that will affect these partners so we can now give them the necessary focus.”

Noakes also told CRN that Microsoft will share its goals and strategies for its coming fiscal year three months earlier than usual.

Alastair Kitching, commercial director at VAR Esteem, said: “It is a positive move as we can be up to speed at the start of the first quarter rather than Q1 slipping by. The sooner we are told about marketing activities we can align ourselves accordingly.”

Lee Schofield, alliances manager at Microsoft VAR Trustmarque, said: “We’ve already noticed a difference this year from Microsoft around forward planning for the next fiscal year.”

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