Channel People on the Move: Avaya, Vonage, More
We've also got moves at CenturyLink, Talkdesk, Broadvoice and Frontier, just to name a few.
Perhaps you have made some New Year’s resolutions. We at Channel Partners did — to bring you more Channel People on the Move!
Our monthly feature returns for its 10th – that’s right, 10th – year. We can’t believe how fast time flies.
There was no stopping some of the biggest names in the channel from announcing new hires and promotions in December. Among them were a slew of new folks to manage master-agent relationships in the CenturyLink Partner Program, Telarus bringing back a Level 3 and Equinix alum, and Avaya naming a new channel boss.
We also saw a well-known veteran of Verizon, XO and CenturyLink land a new position.
These are the people making decisions that directly impact partners, from the channel-manager level all the way up through CEO. We squeezed 16 people on the move into the gallery below that closes out 2019 and welcomes in 2020.
If you missed last month’s edition, it’s here. And don’t forget that you can see who’s on the move anytime – you don’t have to wait for this gallery each month – by visiting our webpage dedicated to the topic.
Follow executive editor @Craig_Galbraith on Twitter.
Avaya's Jon Brinton
Avaya hired a longtime Mitel exec as its new VP or North America channel sales. Jon Brinton is in charge of channel sales strategy, and supporting the company's network of partners, distributors and resellers. He also is tasked with building and managing the company's channel enablement programs.
Brinton was at Mitel for 11 years, where he was president of the cloud division from its inception through expansion to a UCaaS market leader.
You'll want to learn more about Brinton.
Avaya hired a longtime Mitel exec as its new VP or North America channel sales. Jon Brinton is in charge of channel sales strategy, and supporting the company's network of partners, distributors and resellers. He also is tasked with building and managing the company's channel enablement programs.
Brinton was at Mitel for 11 years, where he was president of the cloud division from its inception through expansion to a UCaaS market leader.
You'll want to learn more about Brinton.
CenturyLink
CenturyLink identified a whole host of promotions and new hires, many of whom will work directly with master agents.
That's Jessica Milner (top left), previously with Entisys360. She'll oversee the communications giant's Sandler Partners relationship. Mike Brown (bottom left) comes to CenturyLink from Opex Technologies. He'll work directly with CNSG.
In the middle is Matt Thompson, an eight-year CenturyLink vet who now holds the role of sales director, responsible for a team of channel managers in the Southwest.
That's Laura Welch (top right), who will oversee the PlanetOne relationship. She joins the CenturyLink team from Vertical Network Solutions. And in the bottom right is Scott Moerman, previously with Element Critical, who will work directly with TBI.
Learn more about these new hires and promotions.
CenturyLink identified a whole host of promotions and new hires, many of whom will work directly with master agents.
That's Jessica Milner (top left), previously with Entisys360. She'll oversee the communications giant's Sandler Partners relationship. Mike Brown (bottom left) comes to CenturyLink from Opex Technologies. He'll work directly with CNSG.
In the middle is Matt Thompson, an eight-year CenturyLink vet who now holds the role of sales director, responsible for a team of channel managers in the Southwest.
That's Laura Welch (top right), who will oversee the PlanetOne relationship. She joins the CenturyLink team from Vertical Network Solutions. And in the bottom right is Scott Moerman, previously with Element Critical, who will work directly with TBI.
Learn more about these new hires and promotions.
RealCom Solutions' Bill Hooper
Bill Hooper, a fixture in the channel known for his key roles at Verizon, XO Communications and CenturyLink, is the new chief operating officer at consulting firm RealCom Solutions.
Hooper will be focused on marketing, operational excellence and working with the current RealCom Solutions teams to significantly increase the already exponential growth in the company's commercial and hospitality lines of business.
Bill Hooper, a fixture in the channel known for his key roles at Verizon, XO Communications and CenturyLink, is the new chief operating officer at consulting firm RealCom Solutions.
Hooper will be focused on marketing, operational excellence and working with the current RealCom Solutions teams to significantly increase the already exponential growth in the company's commercial and hospitality lines of business.
Telarus' Koby Phillips
He left Telarus a year ago; now, Koby Phillips is back from his stint at Equinix to join the master agent as its chief cloud evangelist.
In this role, Phillips will help partners with designing, presenting and selling cloud infrastructure solutions such as colocation, storage, and virtual desktop services. Before going to Equinix, Phillips was Telarus' regional VP for the Mountain West.
Read why Telarus' senior VP of sales calls Phillips "inspiring to sales partners."
He left Telarus a year ago; now, Koby Phillips is back from his stint at Equinix to join the master agent as its chief cloud evangelist.
In this role, Phillips will help partners with designing, presenting and selling cloud infrastructure solutions such as colocation, storage, and virtual desktop services. Before going to Equinix, Phillips was Telarus' regional VP for the Mountain West.
Read why Telarus' senior VP of sales calls Phillips "inspiring to sales partners."
Broadvoice's Kathleen Annitto
Broadvoice, the VoIP and cloud communications company, added Kathleen Annitto, previously with StarLeaf, as a regional channel manager. Annitto brings more than 20 years of experience to the job, also having done stints at AccuPoint Solutions and West (now Intrado).
It was the second hiring of a StarLeaf vet in two months for Broadvoice, which tapped Nick Madsen for a similar position in November.
Get to know Annitto.
Broadvoice, the VoIP and cloud communications company, added Kathleen Annitto, previously with StarLeaf, as a regional channel manager. Annitto brings more than 20 years of experience to the job, also having done stints at AccuPoint Solutions and West (now Intrado).
It was the second hiring of a StarLeaf vet in two months for Broadvoice, which tapped Nick Madsen for a similar position in November.
Get to know Annitto.
Vonage's Adam Wilson
Adam Wilson will oversee Vonage's partner program expansion into the U.K. as regional channel manager of EMEA. He moved over from a similar role with Telstra. His experience also includes jobs at Samsung, Red Bend Software, Acision and Deutsche Telekom.
Vonage called its U.K. expansion – highlighted at last month's Channel Evolution Europe – an "organic evolution" of its business.
Learn more about Wilson and Vonage's foray into the U.K.
Adam Wilson will oversee Vonage's partner program expansion into the U.K. as regional channel manager of EMEA. He moved over from a similar role with Telstra. His experience also includes jobs at Samsung, Red Bend Software, Acision and Deutsche Telekom.
Vonage called its U.K. expansion – highlighted at last month's Channel Evolution Europe – an "organic evolution" of its business.
Learn more about Wilson and Vonage's foray into the U.K.
Frontier's Bernie Han
Frontier Communications, buried under a $17.5 billion debt load, appointed a new CEO to make key decisions for the company going forward.
Bernie Han is expected to “further Frontier’s efforts to drive operational improvements in our business while continuing to evaluate the company’s capital structure.” said Pamela Reeve, independent chairman of Frontier’s board of directors.
Han succeeds Daniel McCarthy, who stepped down from his roles as CEO, president and Frontier board member. Han comes to Frontier from Dish Network, where he was chief strategy officer.
Keep an eye on the turbulence at Frontier.
Frontier Communications, buried under a $17.5 billion debt load, appointed a new CEO to make key decisions for the company going forward.
Bernie Han is expected to “further Frontier’s efforts to drive operational improvements in our business while continuing to evaluate the company’s capital structure.” said Pamela Reeve, independent chairman of Frontier’s board of directors.
Han succeeds Daniel McCarthy, who stepped down from his roles as CEO, president and Frontier board member. Han comes to Frontier from Dish Network, where he was chief strategy officer.
Keep an eye on the turbulence at Frontier.
Telesystem's Lori Graber
Lori Graber comes to Telesystem, the business communications company, from NetCarrier. She takes on the role of sales operations manager. She's tasked with leading the sales support and account management teams, managing external vendor relationships and overseeing the administration of sales-related tools and processes.
Telesystem says it has a hybrid approach to the agent channel, where national channel managers engage at the master-agent level and account execs working to build relationships in individual markets.
Get to know Graber.
Lori Graber comes to Telesystem, the business communications company, from NetCarrier. She takes on the role of sales operations manager. She's tasked with leading the sales support and account management teams, managing external vendor relationships and overseeing the administration of sales-related tools and processes.
Telesystem says it has a hybrid approach to the agent channel, where national channel managers engage at the master-agent level and account execs working to build relationships in individual markets.
Get to know Graber.
Talkdesk's Chad Gaydos
Talkdesk, the cloud contact center software provider, tapped Chad Gaydos as its chief customer officer, a new position at the company. Gaydos will focus on "creating and nurturing a corporate culture devoted to customer experience at every level."
His background includes stints at Skillsoft and SAP. At Talkdesk, he'll be responsible for leading the strategy and execution for the "customer experience and engagement journey."
Talkdesk, the cloud contact center software provider, tapped Chad Gaydos as its chief customer officer, a new position at the company. Gaydos will focus on "creating and nurturing a corporate culture devoted to customer experience at every level."
His background includes stints at Skillsoft and SAP. At Talkdesk, he'll be responsible for leading the strategy and execution for the "customer experience and engagement journey."
High Wire Networks' Charles Hughes
You might know him best from his days at Level 3 Communications. Charles Hughes is the new chief operating officer at High Wire Networks, a global technical field, professional and cybersecurity services company.
Hughes worked at Level 3 for eight years in the 2000s. His last job was VP of technical site services at Acuative. As COO at High Wire, he'll lead the company's strategic initiatives to improve program management, processes, integration and service delivery.
Learn why Hughes said he joined the High Wire team.
You might know him best from his days at Level 3 Communications. Charles Hughes is the new chief operating officer at High Wire Networks, a global technical field, professional and cybersecurity services company.
Hughes worked at Level 3 for eight years in the 2000s. His last job was VP of technical site services at Acuative. As COO at High Wire, he'll lead the company's strategic initiatives to improve program management, processes, integration and service delivery.
Learn why Hughes said he joined the High Wire team.
Forcepoint's Lisa Schreiber
Oracle vet Lisa Schreiber is Forcepoint's very first chief customer success officer. The cybersecurity company is calling on her to be responsible for its customer capabilities, overall customer experience and global portfolio growth.
Schreiber has more than 20 years of enterprise software and SaaS experience, having led the customer success of Oracle's 200 largest enterprise customers.
Get the full scoop on her new gig.
Oracle vet Lisa Schreiber is Forcepoint's very first chief customer success officer. The cybersecurity company is calling on her to be responsible for its customer capabilities, overall customer experience and global portfolio growth.
Schreiber has more than 20 years of enterprise software and SaaS experience, having led the customer success of Oracle's 200 largest enterprise customers.
Get the full scoop on her new gig.
InterVision's Mike Shea
IT service provider InterVision hired Mike Shea as its new AVP, cloud services. He will oversee InterVision's cloud-services and public sector delivery teams. Most recently, he was managing director and CTO for the Health and Human Services unit of Accenture Products and Platforms.
InterVision offers cloud services across a variety of industries, recently achieving status as an AWS premier consulting partner.
IT service provider InterVision hired Mike Shea as its new AVP, cloud services. He will oversee InterVision's cloud-services and public sector delivery teams. Most recently, he was managing director and CTO for the Health and Human Services unit of Accenture Products and Platforms.
InterVision offers cloud services across a variety of industries, recently achieving status as an AWS premier consulting partner.
Malwarebytes' Akshay Bhargava
Akshay Bhargava is the new chief product officer for Malwarebytes, the security provider. It's a promotion for Bhargava, who previously was senior VP of products. He's in charge of the company’s technology vision, product road map and execution. Key focus areas include product management, user experience design, business operations and solutions.
You might know him from prior jobs at Oracle and FireEye.
Akshay Bhargava is the new chief product officer for Malwarebytes, the security provider. It's a promotion for Bhargava, who previously was senior VP of products. He's in charge of the company’s technology vision, product road map and execution. Key focus areas include product management, user experience design, business operations and solutions.
You might know him from prior jobs at Oracle and FireEye.
