Atlassian prepares Euro partner push
Open source vendor vows to plough venture capitalist funding into European activities
Ben Naftzger: Company ambassadors will work closely with partners and customers
Australian vendor Atlassian is ploughing part of its recently acquired venture capitalist funding into its European growth and recruitment plans.
The vendor manufactures hosted and on-premises software development tools that are sold directly online and via its 20-strong partner network in the UK.
Earlier this year it received $60m (£37.4m) in funding from Facebook backers Accel Partners.
Ben Naftzger, director of demand generation at Atlassian, said the funding will be used to recruit company “ambassadors” in Europe who will generate leads for partners.
“The ambassador role will be a cross between a marketing rep and a product evangelist who will work closely with partners and customers to find out their needs,” he said.
Atlassian wants its partners to play an active role in recruitment, explained Naftzger, by recommending potential candidates.
If their recommendation is successful, Atlassian will reward them with 10 iPads for their staff.
Guy Fraser, chief executive of Atlassian partner Adaptavist, said: “We are already seeing a much stronger focus on the European market from Atlassian.”