New Extreme EMEA partner chief to woo channel

Paula Nuth wants consultative partners prepared to commit to the vendor

Extreme Networks' recently appointed EMEA channel chief wants to bring in new "best of breed" partners committed to the manufacturer.

Paula Nuth (pictured below) assumed the post of EMEA director of partners and channels at the switching vendor in April, having previously held posts at a variety of IT manufacturers and channel players including IBM, Nortel, Cisco, Redstone and NSC Global. In her new role, Nuth will focus on defining channel strategy in EMEA, rolling out new partner programmes, and on the acquisition of partners and systems integrators across the region.

A key differentiator for prospective partners is the vendor's technology innovation and channel proposition, which is less complex and inherently more profitable than its bigger rivals, claimed Nuth. Extreme Networks' portfolio, which includes technologies such as gigabit-to-100-gigabit Ethernet switching and software-defined networking (SDN) products OpenFlow and OpenStack, also makes the company more attractive for partners and customers, she added.

"We have great partners that are more consultative and do not necessarily pitch one manufacturer's value proposition over another, but rather pick the right technology for the customer environment and objective," explained Nuth.

"We would like partners that fit into that ethos, rather than focusing on one particular manufacturer. This gives partners credibility when they approach their customers through a consultative rather than prescriptive approach. I would be delighted to meet with any partners that wish to discuss further how Extreme can be a valuable part of their proposition."