Fortinet applauds channel partners

The event held from 5-7 December was well received by partners who participated in training sessions, competed in a golf tournament and enjoyed an awards dinner at Nightingale Winery.

“I’m very excited to say that we’ve received feedback already from partners saying it was the best channel event they’d ever attended,” said Charlie Cote, regional director for Australia and New Zealand, Fortinet. “Many [partners] told us it was packed with information and the structure was good.”

Fortinet acknowledges that there are advantages to both the vendor and partners in dedicating several days to concentrate on channel relationships and business strategies.

“When you hold a concentrated event like a partner conference there’s a groundswell of information shared, which has immeasurable value,” said Cote. “The 35 attendees were able to eat, sleep and drink Fortinet, which is strategic for us as vendor as we are 100 percent channel.”

The conference saw Fortinet's senior worldwide channel executives take the stage including Mike Valentine – vice president of channel sales, Christine Braud - channel marketing director, Richard Stiennon - chief marketing officer, and Anthony James - vice president of product management. Partners were then treated to an awards night that saw Seccom Networks win the most awards, including Managed Security Services Partner of the Year.

Cote claimed that the event represents the vendor’s desire to expand in the region and establish a strong reseller base.

“Now that we have a formal channel program and a presence in several regions, we are directing our focus to and investing in Australia and New Zealand,” said Cote. “Action has been taken to ensure we continue to grow.”