CRN Exclusive: Dell Makes Ambulos North America Channel Chief, Assembles New Top Sales Teams

Dell Technologies has made Gregg Ambulos its North America channel chief as part of a new leadership roster under global channel chief John Byrne.

Byrne and Dell Technologies President and Chief Commercial Officer Marius Haas detailed the company’s channel and sales leadership team in an exclusive interview with CRN.

Byrne, who was made global channel chief in July, said former channel chief Cheryl Cook will lead the company’s global channel marketing efforts reporting to marketing Senior Vice President Nina Hargus. Hargus, in turn, reports directly to CMO Jeremy Burton.

[Related: Report: Dell To Cut 2 Percent Of Workforce This Year In Bid To Trim Costs, Pay Down Debt]

In her new role, Cook will be responsible for branding, communication, channel events, MDF program execution, and partner planning and experience in coordination with Dell regional teams, Byrne said. Cook will have a ’dotted line’ to Byrne, and be part of his staff meetings, Byrne said.

’We had an unbelievable opportunity to have Mr. Ambulos run the Americas,’ Haas told CRN, ’and I think that’s absolutely the right decision to make.’

Haas also explained that the new leadership structure allows Dell to unify its channel operation and its sales operation.

’We’ve said we’re going to create one best-in-class channel sales organization. In each region, these leaders will hard-line into John [Byrne] to make sure we have an unbelievable focus on execution and aligning with our partners,’ Haas said.

Ambulos will report directly to Byrne, but will also interact with Bill Rodriguez, Haas’ head of North America sales, and Chris Riley, senior enterprise sales executive who reports directly to Bill Scannell, president of enterprise sales.

Tightening those relationships, Haas said, will help Dell ’make sure we’re in sync so we don’t lose anything in translation.’

Dell closed its $58 billion acquisition of EMC last week. The company said it would run the companies’ channel programs in parallel until Feb. 1, when Dell’s fiscal year begins. At that point, the programs will be fully integrated into a single program.

Dan Serpico, CEO of FusionStorm, a large solution provider that works with Dell Technologies, said making Ambulos North America channel chief makes sense and that his influence is already being felt.

’I think he’s already accomplished job one,’ Serpico said. ’Job one was to make sure the Dell leadership had an understanding of the value of the channel, and the whole notion of ’partner-led’ is a clear indication of Gregg’s ability to figure out and push goal one. That was the first key. The next key would be to realign partner profitability to the model Dell now has. If [he] can do that, we’re well on our way to having a very, very, very good program.’

CRN reported last week that Dell Technologies intends to move to a partner-led account strategy, which is an evolution for Dell, which has until now stood by the notion of customer choice, giving customers the option to work with either Dell sales teams or channel partners and leaving the door open to conflict between the two.

With a few exceptions, the channel and sales leadership teams are made primarily of longtime Dell executives. Among the executives reporting directly to Byrne is Jim DeFoe as head of global distribution. DeFoe, a 20-year Dell veteran, was previously vice president of global channel sales and programs. Byrne said DeFoe will name an executive to oversee North America distribution in the near future.

Randy Huey, former executive strategist to Haas and a 17-year Dell veteran, was made head of channel strategy. Huey’s is a new position, and he will lead channel strategy and planning. He and Byrne will map out plans for partner spending and coverage across Dell and EMC, Byrne said.

Kimberly DeLeon has been made vice president of global channel programs. DeLeon has been with Dell for about two years and previously reported to Cook. She spent about 10 years at AMD, where Byrne was an executive between 2007 and 2015.

In her new role, DeLeon will be responsible for channel processes, including governance, and ensuring partners are achieving the appropriate level of certification and financial objectives, Byrne said.

DeLeon’s role is new and will help Dell move to a centralized channel sales operation like EMC’s, rather than a de-centralized operation like the one used by Dell. Program and MDF dollars will go through DeLeon.

Pilar Schenk, who has been with Dell for more than 15 years and has been executive director of integration for the last year, has been made head of channel sales planning and operations.

Byrne has also named the regional channel leaders that will report to him. Ng Tian Beng will head APJ channel sales; Alvaro Camarena will lead Latin America channel sales; and Michael Collins will lead EMEA channel sales.

Frank Vitagliano, Dell vice president of North America channels, has been offered several positions, but hasn’t yet made a decision about whether to accept one.

Haas has also assembled his senior leadership team, which includes Byrne; Bill Rodriguez as head of North America commercial sales; Jay Parker as head of global server and networking specialty sales; and Prakash Jothee as head of sales strategy planning and operations.

Rodriguez has been with Dell for about eight years, most recently as president of North America and global sales. Parker came from Lenovo, where he had been North America president, about a year ago.

Haas’ regional team includes Amit Midha as head of APJ commercial sales; Diego Majdalani as head of Latin America commercial sales; Chenhong Huang as head of Greater China commercial sales and Aongus Hegarty as head of EMEA commercial sales.