'UK is the fastest growing region for us' - Extreme Networks exec

EMEA VP says the vendor is looking to recruit partners of troubled Huawei

The UK is the fastest growing region in EMEA for Extreme Networks, according to EMEA sales VP John Morrison.

Last year the vendor offered a UK exclusive deal in order to lure new partners to its relaunched channel.

Morrison claimed that 300 UK partners have signed up since the start of 2019.

Extreme groups the UK with the Benelux as one of five regions that makes up its EMEA market, which grew 26 per cent year on year in its Q2.

"The UK-Benelux region has grown significantly and has seen well over 20 per cent growth in the first half of this year versus last year," he told CRN.

"We are gaining market share through our absolute focus on the channel, along with solutions that are resonating in the marketplace. It's this focus that has delivered that growth in the UK.

"The UK-Benelux is our fastest growing overall region, and that is split evenly between the UK and the Benelux."

The vendors has allotted £50m to channel investment, which Morrison said will be spread across a number of partner initiatives, as well as on hiring more people to focus directly on the channel.

In an earnings call to investors last month, CEO Ed Meyercord said that the controversy swirling around Huawei presents market opportunities for Extreme in Europe.

EMEA VP Morrison expanded on this statement, stating that the company will work with partners to target appropriate market segments that it believes it can win share in.

"We are very open to talk to existing Huawei partners who are perhaps experiencing some negative customer sentiment because of the press," he said.

"We will work with our partners to identify target markets as well as work to identify target partners that we can support, in terms of an offering into the marketplace."

Extreme isn't the only networking vendor looking to exploit the opportunities created by Huawei's woes.

Cisco boss Chuck Robbins recently made similar comments, but Morrison says that competing for these opportunities will be treated as business as usual.

"We compete with Cisco et al on the basis that we can give our partners a cleaner playing field," he stated.

"There's less competition at the partner level than you would find with the biggest brands and we focus on giving them real profitability.

"That's how we believe we can beat anyone in the marketplace, regardless of what is happening with Huawei."