Microsoft unveils new UK partner boss

Glenn Woollaghan takes over from predecessors Martin Gregory and Linda Rendleman in expanded role

Microsoft has crowned Glenn Wollaghan as its new partner boss, who will take on an expanded version of the role once occupied by Martin Gregory and Linda Rendleman.

Woollaghan (pictured) only just began the role of partner development lead this week, after his predecessor Martin Gregory left the role of partner business and development director earlier this year. Gregory only took over last summer, when his predecessor Linda Rendleman returned to her native US after two-and-a-half years in the role.

Woollaghan has been at Microsoft for around three years, during which time he has run its SMB and telesales business. Prior to that, he worked at Symantec for more than 10 years.

Although Woollaghan is stepping into the role once occupied by Gregory and Rendleman, he will have a wider remit, according to Clare Barclay, Microsoft UK's general manager for small and mid-market solutions and partners.

Speaking to CRN at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto, she said: "It's an evolution of what it was before and Glenn takes the lead on partner strategy stuff. But we're investing more in partner development because we see the opportunity in the cloud. For the partners we have spoken to this week, that's why they're here.

"We've seen huge growth in all of the cloud businesses in the last few months, but one of the challenges partners are having to deal with is how to get the right people to take advantage of those [cloud services] - particularly Azure, voice and Dynamics. Those are the areas we are investing in on a partner development front and that's why the role has been broadened slightly."