Top EMEA execs quit Avaya

Vendor confirms departure of Buddie Ceronie and Martyn Lambert as rumours mount about new UK head

Buddie Ceronie has been with Avaya for more than five years

Two of Avaya's most visible EMEA executives – Buddie Ceronie and Martyn Lambert – are to leave the communications vendor.

Channel veteran Ceronie has been with the New Jersey-based firm for more than five years after joining from networking vendor 3Com in 2004. He served as Avaya vice president of EMEA channel sales before taking up a position as UK country manager.

A little over a year ago, he assumed the role of managing director for the UK, Ireland and Southern Africa. He was replaced in the UK by Nick Roullier, who also departed late last year and is now UK managing director of VAR Datapoint – one of Avaya's top UK partners.

CRN understands that Avaya may no longer oversee the UK, Ireland and Southern Africa as a territory and could revert to managing them individually. Channel speculation suggests Lee Shorten, currently Avaya's EMEA vertical marketing manager, may be appointed as the vendor's new UK leader.

Martyn Lambert joined Avaya at about the same time as Ceronie and has been one of the firm's most prominent EMEA spokespeople. He is now to leave his post as EMEA vice president of marketing, which he has held since December 2007.

Avaya issued CRN with the following statement: "Buddie Ceronie and Martyn Lambert have advised Avaya that they intend to leave the company to pursue their own professional interests.”

One Avaya VAR, who wished to remain anonymous, welcomed the shake-up and claimed Avaya's new channel-centric direction had put the writing on the wall for Ceronie.

"This should be good for the channel," he said. "Avaya has had a channel strategy for years but it was not implemented at a UK level because the people who have been here have been resistant to doing so."