Microsoft shuffles top UK channel management

Barry Ridgway to head up the firm's Latin America operation, with Clare Barclay stepping in to replace him

Microsoft has shaken up its UK management team, with Clare Barclay to replace UK Partner Group boss Barry Ridgway, who is heading to a new role in South America.

Ridgway was the firm's UK general manager of the Small and Medium Solutions and Partner Group and has held the role for nearly three years. He is set to leave with immediate effect to head up the vendor's Latin America region.

Current SMB director Clare Barclay is expected to take over Ridgway's role. She has been in her post since a 2011 management reshuffle, when she took over from Simon Aldous who went on to head up the firm's hosting arm.

After its Worldwide Partner Conference last year, Ridgway declared that the vendor's $10m (£6.5m) boost in channel marketing was a huge opportunity for the channel, and said he expected its flurry of product releases to help the channel grow.

Last year, Barclay talked up Microsoft's plans to widen its SPLA channel to include two distributors – Westcoast and Ingram Micro – claiming that the decision was driven by reseller demand.

Updated: Microsoft confirmed the moves and newly appointed Small and Medium Solutions and Partner (SMS&P) Group general manager Clare Barclay said: "Having worked in SMS&P for the last eight years, I'm excited by the opportunity ahead of working with our partners in the UK as we drive towards the transformation of a devices and services organisation."