Avaya Inc.’s former worldwide channel chief Jeremy Butt has joined Westcon Group to run EMEA operations, the distributor announced today.
Butt left Avaya in January after four years as global channel chief. He will now be EMEA (Europe-Middle East-Africa )executive vice-president, at the Tarrytown, NY-based distributor, leading a group of what were formerly separate regions until recently.
While at Avaya, Butt played a central role in the launch of Avaya Connect, the company’s first global channel program. He also led the company’s recruitment and integration of Nortel Enterprise Systems channel partners following the acquisition in 2009.
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“He came to Avaya with a really difficult task has eluded us previously: turning a largely direct sales organization into one that’s channel centric,” Deborah Kline, senior manager of public relations with Avaya told CDN following Butt’s departure.
“We integrated Nortel and he has done what he set out to do. He launched a new global channel program and we now have 78 per cent (of sales through the channel).”
Butt also led channel efforts at Motorola Mobility, where he oversaw its PartnerSelect channel program.
Butt will be based in Slough, U.K.
-With files from Jeff Jedras
