New Microsoft channel boss pledges more local support

Linda Rendleman claims she will be taking a less London-centric approach to the UK channel

Microsoft's new UK channel chief Linda Rendleman has promised to pay more attention to resellers based outside of London and the South East as she sets out her priorities for the new role.

Rendleman (pictured) has been in her new role of director for partner business and development since the start of this year, and replaces Janet Gibbons who has moved to become devices and services lead for corporate accounts.

The new UK channel boss held a variety of senior sales role as Tech Data for 19 years before moving to the software giant, where she most recently looked after distribution partners before taking on her current role.

Supporting resellers based outside of the South East is high on Rendleman's to-do list.

"So much of what we've done before is focused around London," she said. "I have dates to go to Newcastle, Leeds, Birmingham [for example]. I'm a sales girl and I love to meet with partners and people outside of Microsoft, so there will be a lot of that.

"It's important we have contact with [local resellers] because you can get so caught in your diary and so much time can pass quickly, but it is very important to make sure we have contact with those outside of London."

Rendleman's appointment came at a similar time as global channel boss Jon Roskill was replaced by Phil Sorgen and the search began for outgoing chief executive Steve Ballmer's replacement. But Rendleman said the recent changes happening at Microsoft were down to individuals' career choices and do not amount to a deliberate overhaul of channel leadership.

"Ultimately, our focus on the channel is as strong as it's ever been," she said. "We invest $4bn (£2.43bn) a year in the channel and have 30,000 partners in the UK.

"[The channel appointments] are no indication of any shift in the channel. The evolution of our business, and the greater investment in services: that [is a] change, and that is inevitable."

She added that her early priorities in the job are to meet with resellers and talk about the vendor's partner programme, incentives, marketing and competencies in order to better understand their needs.

"[Partners] are our greatest asset," she said. "We need them in order to be successful."