Alliance Aces

Innovative minds, where new ideas and technologies constantly spark from, are scattered around every corner of the world. However, accessing capital and resources to bring these innovations to life is a bottleneck for a lot of individuals and startups. A potential answer to bridging this gap while generating revenue and value to customers is co-creating with partners.In this episode, we are joined by Vanessa Sorenson, Chief Partner Officer ANZ and Managing Director at Microsoft New Zealand. She shares valuable insights about some of her organization’s partner programs, including the Founders Hub Program, and how they are transforming the innovation landscape in the AI and Cloud spaces by fostering investment and employing marketplace strategies that enable the co-selling and scaling of innovation. We discuss:Microsoft’s pivotal role in the AI and Cloud spaces The significance of aligning goals and compensation plans to drive collaborative innovation with partnersThe rapid advancement of AI technology and its

In the ecosystem world, being forward thinking is crucial — if you are building partnerships when you need them, and not when you anticipate the needs of your customers and the trends of the market, you won’t be on the cutting edge. In this episode, we are joined by Dan Hod, VP, Global Cloud Partnerships and Business Development at Amdocs, as he talks through his long-time journey in the tech industry, leveraging a clear long-term vision to build synergistic partnerships that deliver customer value. Dan also shares how Amdocs is shifting from vendor-specific to open source technology and thus enabling him to work closely with hyperscalers like AWS, Azure, and Google to create a mechanism for cloud consumption and transacting via the marketplace. Join us as we discuss:How Dan is building relationships with cloud partners at Amdocs around open source, network, big data, and AI Growing joint business with hyperscalers by approaching smaller telcosAmdocs’ growth plan in the FSI to become a leading telcoHere are s

Competition is an inherent trait of all industries' marketplaces. However, when strong partnerships are built, collaboration allows business leaders to address customers' specific needs more efficiently, whether it is by multi-dimensional engagements or single product-based solutions.In today’s episode, Amit Sinha Roy, VP Global Head of Strategic Alliances at Tata Communications, dives deeper into managing multiple-scale alliances through joint service creation, prioritizing collaboration over competition, and driving business success with differentiated market solutions. Amit also emphasizes the importance of framing the term "strategic alliances" with a programmatic, long-term approach, with investment from both parties of the partnership. Join us as we explore: The importance of evolving from a connected world to a hyper-connected one How strategic alliances help companies navigate the fast-paced technology landscape and stay competitiveHow a synchronized approach across regions and segments ensures effect

The idea of succeeding alone in today's global market landscape is becoming obsolete. Addressing intricate challenges demands a profound shift in approach—one rooted in strategic collaboration. By investing in robust partnerships and recognizing the unique capabilities each party brings, the tech industry can address highly complex problems, delivering value to customers faster than ever. These collaborations not only foster innovation but also drive sales, propelling businesses toward unprecedented growth.In this episode, Nick Otto, Head of Global Strategic Partnerships at IBM, delves into the synergy of hybrid cloud and AI. He explores how this fusion has led to the creation of multiscale models, generating actionable insights in collaboration with industry leaders and $1B+ partners. Nick also shares the investments IBM is making in its ecosystem, highlighting the importance of strategic partnerships for success.Join us as we discuss:How generative AI is shaping the business landscape for the foreseeable fu

Today more than ever, digital transformation is necessary to optimize process and system efficiency to keep up with fast moving changes in the market. Achieving this with partner ecosystems is the best solution to advance quickly and deliver value to customers.Today’s guest, Madhuri Chawla, Vice President, Global Head of SAP Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem at Kyndryl, a company that spun off from IBM with 90,000 employees and a roster of 4,000 customers, shares insights on how she’s been leading the digital transformation co-creating and co-innovating through partner ecosystems. Madhuri delves into Kyndryl’s strategic partnership with SAP, the development of their cutting-edge product, the Digital Blueprint, and their journey towards becoming a services powerhouse. Join us as we discuss: The relevance of building cyber-resilient futures in a digitalized era where security breaches pose threats to businessesDriving industry-shaking change with strategic partnerships by focusing on co-innovationThe import

When marketing is done right, it’s an integrated approach that builds value and demand, captures that demand in-market and delivers on a brand promise with an excellent experience. According to Allison Munro, Chief Marketing and Ecosystem Officer at Vena, ecosystems aren’t much different.Over the past few years, Allison has played a significant role in the unique evolution of Vena’s ecosystem strategy. Rather than treating ecosystems as a sales execution in business, Allison’s team transformed partnership from a business function to an integrated go-to-market component. For most, this ambitious shift marks the beginning of an exciting journey into unknown territory—fortunately, there is an unexpected professional with the expertise in motion strategy ready to lead the way: CMOs, market leaders and marketing experts.The goal of this transformation is clean-cut and simple: create a seamless, frictionless experience from awareness through purchase and beyond for shared customers. But the path to go-to-market in

Over the past decade, a digital transformation has sparked an organizational evolution causing companies to shift to virtual enterprises. While the shift to virtual quickly escalated with no sector immune to the changes, there has been one source of sustainable, successful growth: ecosystems.Open platforms and ecosystems offer new avenues for growth, efficiency and innovation. Moreover, companies focus on fewer, deeper ecosystem combinations to build their growth agenda. In this episode, we talk with Meredith Stowell, Vice President, Ecosystem at IBM. According to Meredith, successful ecosystems are broad, but they also rely on the depth of the various relationships within the ecosystem. When deep connections are fostered, both parties can meet all growth opportunities and capabilities. Further, these ecosystems leverage the flexibility of open technologies like hybrid cloud to accelerate more quickly and efficiently than before within specific industry contexts. Join us as we discuss:What virtualization has

No company can build everything all the time. What they can build is a high-value multi-partnering ecosystem that will provide invaluable solutions to end customers while benefiting each partner in the ecosystem. In a world where tech is developing at lightning speed and innovations like 5G spark industry-erupting shifts in systems and priorities.Carlos Aragon, now the Senior Director of Product Marketing, Applications at Vonage has years of hands-on experience across multi-partner ecosystems and offers a wealth of proven knowledge regarding the challenges and opportunities of these ecosystems. He shares his playbook for building (and maintaining) a high-functioning multi-partner ecosystem that chooses collaboration over competition, values continuous innovation and communication, and solves problems for each and every stakeholder. Join us as we discuss:How 5G networks are changing the game in telecommunications, and what that means for partnerships, collaboration and communicationManaging high-value, multipl

The hardest part of creating an ecosystem environment is making sure all of the players understand the broader vision. Successfully building this innovative environment can create loads of new opportunities in addition to new forms of data analytics. Transforming your organization to an ecosystem model requires that you first have an idea of where you are today - and then develop a vision and roadmap for where you want to be. Creating an ecosystem-led organization begins with breaking down the transaction-based mindsets of partners and your own organization, and accepting and understanding major cultural changes takes ample time and dedication. A step further, this leads to identifying potential players from your ecosystem of partners that could improve the customer experience and analyzing the value that each partner brings to the table.To get to an established ecosystem, a well-defined plan, accurate data and supportive leadership create opportunities to get there. Innovating, marketing, selling and deliver

Often, you don’t know how much your business depends on its partners until there is an issue. Born out of the chip shortage a few years ago, Paul Dumke’s external ecosystems team began closing gaps that previously weren’t even realized. By focusing on the external supply chain of their customers and suppliers, the team has been able to streamline processes and prevent issues before they come to fruition. As the Sr. Director of Ecosystem Strategy and Operations at Intel Corporation, Paul knows that Intel is an ingredient company, depending on its partners to sell their products. Building on Intel’s internal culture of partnership, the ecosystem team helps to catalyze not only Intel but also its partners and their entire supply chain. While Intel is a market leader in tech, its value to its partners does not end there. They have expanded to offer a variety of necessary assistance to their partners, including visibility and business development. Paul joins us today to share insights and lessons learned from over

A great foundation in ecosystems and alliances can supercharge your growth and create cohesion across a broad range of functional areas. Without this alignment, organizations can struggle to thrive.In this episode, we speak with Susan Tommy, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Vena Solutions, a self-proclaimed generalist and ultimate partnerships expert. Susan shares her unique journey into integrations and how service partners help deliver ultimate value to customers.Join us as we discuss:The whirlwind of change across integrations over the last decadeRole of Vena’s service partners in delivering value to customersHow to maintain alignment across growth and multiple partnershipsHere are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem#156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass#154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?#152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments I

Building solutions to bring to market in a partnership requires a solid integration strategy. Where you want to go and the best way to get there relies on one simple question: what value can you and your partner bring to clients?We speak with Dana Vickey, Global Vice-President, Alliances and Partners at Eightfold.ai about successful partnerships and product road mapping. At the end of the day, the journey is about making the client or customer successful — to do that, you must aggregate data and customer insights to design a successful strategy.Join us as we discuss:Four quadrants of partner motion, and the importance of eachBalancing the fine line of partner and customer success to build mutually beneficial product roadmapsGoing to market prepared — what it looks like from all avenuesHere are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem#156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass#154

When you look at the ISV ecosystem, it's all about working with partners like ISVs, MSPs and MSSPs. Our guest today refers to this relationship building and management as build motion — it's all about helping partners embed software into their commercial solutions to take to market successfully. In this episode, we’re joined by Monica Aggarwal, Vice President of ISV Build Ecosystem, Technology & Software OEM Partnerships at IBM, who is an expert in all aspects of partner build motion. Monica and her team are responsible for all build partnerships with independent software vendors (ISVs) large and small as well as technology partners and OEM partners. She dives into her experience to share how you can build and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships for overall business success.Join us as we discuss:Creating a commitment to ISV, tech, and OEM partners to deliver value for customersBuilding an efficient and effective partner experience in software developmentIBM's approach to partnerships, and why partn

When you bring a solution to market with another company, you have the potential to shape relationships that will compound benefits far beyond the initial product and subsequent customer value. But co-selling isn’t always straightforward, especially when you’re working with large companies and market leaders. Our guest Neeti Gupta, Head of Hyperscaler Business Development and Alliances at VMware, has had intensive experience in co-selling, working with some of the world’s most influential modern companies from Meta to Microsoft. She shares how you can foster relationships at all stages of co-selling to secure long-term, overall success.Join us as we discuss:Key practices for successful co-sell collaboration with salesWorking with technical specialists on both sides of integration.Effectively executing joint go-to-market plans with partnersHere are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem#

Leaps in innovation in AI and a dramatic shift towards cloud and digital have propelled a community-centered approach in partnerships and business ecosystems. While relationships were once somewhat limited geographically or to those within immediate circles, the world of modern business and tech has exploded with opportunities.On this episode, we’re joined by ecosystem expert Manish Harsh, MLOps Partner Ecosystem & Tech Integrations at NVIDIA. With a knack for enabling businesses to build genuine relationships and partnerships, Manish shares the ins and outs of building a successful ecosystem with all the right tools to push your business forward.Join us as we discuss:How NVIDIA’s platform is changing the game for innovative technology implementationVertical solutions in AI/ML and cybersecurityNavigating and building partnerships with joint road-mapping for mutually beneficial collaborationHere are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: Ho

Partnering with the right organizations can set you up for success, but only if both parties are in alignment. In a great partnership, both partners receive the benefits of genuine value from one another.On this episode, we’re joined by Kim Sterkendries, Global Strategic Partner Ecosystem Enablement - Commercial Client Division at Intel Corporation. With a long career in assorted go-to-market roles at Intel, Kim works with various partners to ensure they are ready to enter the market, both internally and in regards to partners. He’s discovered the importance of integrating education and communication on both ends to ensure overall success.Join us as we discuss:Creating business value for solution partnersThe role of partner feedback in product development and strategyThe benefits and process of educating service partners and teams Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem#156 Libb

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are changing. Worldwide, MSPs are modernizing and becoming increasingly interwoven with the cloud — and bringing their customers on the journey.In this episode, I’m speaking with Joseph Landes, Chief Revenue Officer at Nerdio, about all the ways he’s helping MSPs modernize.Join us as we discuss:The evolution of MSPs in the era of modern partneringHow Nerdio is managing its more than a thousand MSP partnersJoseph’s advice for partner managers Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem#156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass#154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?#152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commitments In The Ecosystem Era#151 Mike Stocker: Close 40% More Deals with Partner InfluenceLinks & ResourcesLearn more about how WorkSpan helps customers accelerate their ecosystem flywheel through Co-selling, Co-inno

Customers don’t want to simply buy products, Cloud, or ERP. They want to solve their problems in the least complicated way possible and trust the company they're working with. For that to happen, intentional partnerships and value-based initiatives are essential. On this episode, we’re joined by Doug Smith, Senior Vice President, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Global Partner Ecosystem at Oracle. With his passion for building partnerships and solving customer pain points, Doug knows the name of the game regarding solution-focused systems and what that looks like at the ground level. He drives company wide value to ensure successful cross-selling and channel relationships. Join us as we discuss:Three primary ways to gain value through partnershipsHow to ensure value flows throughout the entire company How Oracle collaborates with partners across multiple industries Here are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenu

Partner organizations can be the key to genuinely succeeding in today’s market. But partnerships have to be carefully integrated with well-thought-out strategies and communications. On this episode, we’re joined by Darren Blue, Director of Industrial Internet of Things Strategy at Intel Corporation. With over 25 years at Intel with experience from all things engineering to business, Darren knows what it takes to build partnerships that enable ecosystems to actually flourish. He offers insight into the complexities of partnerships and working with other top manufacturers to take concepts and shape them into real, viable market-ready solutions.Join us as we discuss: How partnerships play a role in the ecosystem Choosing partnerships and determining IP ownership Shared marketing, enablement and go-to-market strategiesHere are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem#156 Libby Greco: Get Out

Your customers want everything to just work. No hassle. No fuss. Just simplicity.Yet, delivering simplicity in the customer experience takes learning to manage a whole host of complexity behind the scenes your customer never sees. In this episode, we’re speaking with Marc Monday, Vice President, Global Strategic Partnerships at Sage, about the best ways to manage — and reasons to introduce more — complexities in your partnership program. Join us as we discuss:The importance of understanding your customers’ needs to meet them where they areHow to deliver value as quickly as possible to your customersThe best tools and systems for keeping tracking your partner network in a complex ecosystemHere are some additional episodes featuring other ecosystem leaders that might interest you:#164 Jason Eichenholz: How Wipro Accelerated Revenue Growth with Their Ecosystem#156 Libby Greco: Get Out There and Break The Glass#154 Suresh Kumar Tulluri: Is Your Roadmap Future Proof?#152 David La Rose: Strengthening Partner Commi