Jason Ellis
Career so far I have more than 20 years experience of leading channel organisations and large sales teams across EMEA. I started out as sales manager for P&P Distribution, then progressed from outbound sales manager to divisional sales manager at Principal Distribution. I joined Symantec as UK distribution manager in 1998, before becoming EMEA distribution director, commercial and partner EMEA director to where I am today.
If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do? A commentator at the Olympics; perhaps the only way I'll get to see any events!
Cloud - friend or foe? Friend. Cloud computing is transforming the industry and radically evolving the way that our customers buy technology, as well as how our partners sell it. In the face of evolving consumer demands and buying behaviours, vendors must help partners to evolve their business models and go-to-market strategies so they are equipped to make the most of the opportunities. That's why Symantec is a founding member of the Channel Transformation Alliance.
Has 2011 been as bad as everyone said it would be? I don't think anyone would say it's been an easy year but hard work and focus mean there haven't been many major surprises. This year has brought with it as many opportunities as it has challenges.
What would you have as your last meal? Italian food is always top of the list.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with? A lift repair man. Failing that, Michael McIntyre.
Have any of your predictions come true this year? The new growth opportunities in mobile have really come to the fore. We've been talking about the consumerisation of IT for some time now and with the introduction of so many new devices - particularly the proliferation of tablets this year - information is now more accessible than ever. Individuals want to ensure their personal privacy while IT wants control of any corporate information. This has provided an opportunity to consult organisations on how to best manage the risks and balance personal versus business needs.
What do you see as the channel's biggest challenge in 2012? One significant challenge is the ability to adapt to effectively embrace emerging technologies and the need for focus in helping customers deal with the challenges of rapid information growth and new, more targeted and sophisticated attacks. A number of trends, such as virtualisation and cloud, as well as mobility, are having a profound impact on the IT industry right now, and partners need to choose their vendors carefully so that they can really help organisations to embrace these new technologies. At the same time, vendors need to make sure that they are enabling partners in the best possible way so that they can make the most of the opportunities out there.
What is the best part of your day? Any time spent with my family.