HPE gets new UK MD as it revamps partner programme

Hewlett Packard Enterprise logo on display at the New York Stock Exchange. CREDIT: Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) has confirmed its new UK and Ireland managing director and made further changes to its channel partner programme.

HPE has made Marc Waters UK&I MD and VP, Enterprise Group UK&I. Waters had been acting UK&I MD for a short while following Andy Isherwood’s promotion to MD for Hewlett Packard Enterprise in EMEA. The change is effective immediately.

Waters joined HP back in November 1999 and was appointed a vice president for the Enterprise Group in the UK&I in March 2013. He previously held key positions for HP including enterprise services sales director for the UK public sector, Enterprise Group’s server country manager, chief of staff to the UK MD and a number of sales management roles.

HPE has also unveiled a series of Partner Ready programme updates and expansions that will help partners “achieve the accelerated growth and business opportunities they’re looking for,” HPE said.

HPE is rewarding partners working to accelerate their sales growth in specific categories with the introduction of channel “competencies” that certify partners based on a refined expertise around clusters of select HPE solutions.

HPE Partner Ready will feature a total of 11 competencies, with five having been formally launched, and the remaining ones rolling out over the next 12 months “based on partner feedback and market needs”.

HPE made other enhancements to its partner programme earlier this year, around areas including deal registration and price protection.

“HPE is an even more channel-focused organisation committed to innovating new, collaborative solutions that enable growth for the company and our partners,” said Meg Whitman, president and chief executive officer of Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

“As we work to build and deploy the platforms and tools that accelerate global enterprises, we must work in unison with our partners to move our businesses further, faster.”

Separate company HP Inc has also just overhauled its partner programme, covering PCs, tablets, printers and other devices.

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Antony Savvas

York, UK-based Antony Savvas has been a technology journalist for 25 years and has expertise in all major areas of enterprise and consumer IT. He has worked for a number of leading technology magazines and websites and his work is syndicated across the internet. He also undertakes corporate work for some of the world's leading technology companies.