AlienVault to expand UK channel team in new office

Security vendor previously managed UK within all of EMEA out of Madrid office

Security vendor AlienVault has opened a UK office this week, and hinted at further channel expansion on top of its 27 September signing of distributor VCW Security.

Barmak Meftah, chief executive at AlienVault, confirmed yesterday the Reading University business centre opening is the first office for the vendor here. The firm has had a UK-dedicated team for about two years.

"[However,] since the company was founded back in 2007, the UK and EMEA have been covered out of the company's Spanish office in Madrid, which remains the headquarters for AlienVault's engineering and R&D team," Meftah told ChannelWeb.

"The company is expanding quickly and the new office allows for this, as well as offering space for training staff and partners as needed."

The company also hinted at further expansion – with hires and new partners to be signed – but said it did not wish to elaborate at this stage.

When asked how many staff – either sales or support – would be based in Reading initially to work with resellers, the company declined to answer.

The team will, however, be led by Richard Kirk, senior vice president of international sales.

It has also set up another new office in Texas, US. Both openings are directly related to expansion in demand for its unified security management products, according to AlienVault.

"We have already seen about 100 per cent growth in net new customers in 2013 and are firmly on target to carry on with this momentum and have more than double bookings for a third year in a row," Meftah said.

It has three other offices - a total two in Spain and a second in the US, in California.