Verizon reveals first Australian channel manager

The United States' largest carrier, Verizon, has hired former IBM channel manager Sharmilla Gosai as its first channel lead for Australia.

Prior to joining Verizon, Gosai was the senior channel manager for IBM in Australia and New Zealand for just over a year.

Before joining IBM in 2014, she spent eight years in various channel roles at Microsoft including partner account manager, partner channel marketing manager and senior manager of partner technology, strategy and channel operations.

She joins alliances and partner director for Asia Pacific Greg Gibbons to co-lead the Australian channel from Sydney.

Gosai told CRN her goal was to build the most mutually rewarding channel program in the industry. “Verizon plans to recruit the right channel partners and to this end, we are exploring local partnerships with resellers, systems integrators and value-added resellers to broaden our solutions and reach in the market.

“It is also important that we walk the talk. As such, while we empower our partners to call the shots in how they want to work with us, we are in turn providing comprehensive training programs and marketing nous to help our partners be successful.”

The appointment coincides with the Australian launch of the giant US telco's new partner program.

Verizon Asia-Pacific managing director for enterprise Australia, Japan and Korea, David Kim told CRN the company wants to funnel 70-80 percent of sales through the channel within 12 months.

While Verizon is best known as a telco, the company also provides mobile security, cloud, networking, internet of things and communications solutions both directly and to large multinational integrators.

It is not the only telecommunictions provider to revamp its Australian partner program. Only last week, CRN revealed the latest update to Telstra's channel enablement, with the addition of new partner tiers, spanning accredited, silver, gold and platinum.

Meanwhile, homegrown telco Vocus has recently begun rolling its partner program beyond Western Australia and across the country.