Kaspersky unveils partner programme refresh

Security vendor reclassifies partners as Platinum, Gold, Silver or Registered

Security vendor Kaspersky has launched a four-tier partner programme that promises to net its most dedicated resellers higher margins.

Under the new scheme, which comes hot on the heels of the big launch of Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8, resellers will be classified as Platinum, Gold, Silver or Registered.

Although details were thin on the ground, Kaspersky revealed that top-tier partners will be able to access new demand-generation tools to drum up interest among corporate customers.

Ilijana Vavan, senior vice president of European corporate sales at Kaspersky Lab, said: "To better meet the concerns of corporate customers, we need to provide high-quality support to our valued channel partners – and that is what our invigorated partner programme will deliver."

Chris Walsh, sales director at Kaspersky distributor Exclusive Networks, said he understood the programme would reward more committed partners with higher discounts.

"This will add more substance to the programme's value," he said.

"It will allow Kaspersky to grow over the next two years and – with the new product launches – gives people a chance to refresh their accreditations."

Earlier this year, privately held Kaspersky outlined ambitions to become one of the world's top-three security players. Walsh said the roll call of resellers present at last week's partner summit in Dubai proved the channel is now taking Kaspersky seriously.

"There were a number of big resellers there that you would associate with the large end-point vendors," Walsh said. "Things are about to change. Kaspersky is now a big old beast and Eugene [Kaspersky's eponymous founder, pictured] is still very passionate about the business."

Kaspersky said partners will be transferred automatically to the new programme.