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Partner ecosystems are the new channel, so much so that channel chiefs are now taking on the name “ecosystem” in their titles. Andrew Habgood is the VP of APAC Partner Ecosystems at Red Hat. In this episode, Andrew shares how he’s building a modern partner ecosystem across the Asia Pacific region.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Here are 5 things I learned about Andrew’s approach to building a modern partner ecosystem in APAC:
- As the head of partner ecosytems, Andrew is now responsible for all partner types including resell and distribution channels, alliances, ISVs, GSIs, and Marketplaces.
- Andrew’s organization is divided into three teams, an ecosystem programs team, a partner ecosystem management team, and a new team for ecosystem partner development that covers both traditional partner enablement and product enablement, helping partners develop their own IP.
- The ideal profile for an ecosystem development manager, who is working to ensure partner success, is a combination of a technical background with an MBA business consulting mindset.
- Ecosystem partner programs and partner contracts need to be simple and flexible, allowing partners, and even customers, to operate with you in many different partner models.
- Building an ecosystem in APAC requires a recognition of the many market and cultural differences between all the countries. It requires having both a consistent framework but also elements of flexibility. And most of all, it’s based on trust that is built by having your sales team aligned and selling with your partners.
LINKS & RESOURCES
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- Follow Andrew on LinkedIn
- Listen to Tim Mackie: How To Build An Ecosystem Partner Program
- Learn more about Allbound
