People on the Move

Red Hat Hires Former VMware Exec to Handle Global Alliances

Linux vendor Red Hat (RHT) has dipped into VMware’s (VMW) executive ranks to nab Scott Musson, a seven-year veteran of the virtualization vendor, as its new Global Strategic Alliances vice president.

Musson, formerly VMware’s Global Strategic Alliances senior director, steps up in rank to take the Red Hat job, where he will handle Red Hat’s […]

Lucovsky Rejoins VMware for Mega Cloud Platform Project

Mark Lucovsky has rejoined VMware (NYSE: VMW). He had been working on Cloud Foundry, which VMware is spinning off as part of the Pivotal Initiative. The move comes ahead of VMware’s Q4 2012 earnings, which are set to be announced later today.

Chatter about Lucovsky’s apparent career shift surfaced on GigaOm, where seasoned reporter Barb […]

Cisco, McAfee Channel Pro Alex Thurber Joins Watchguard

Cisco Systems (CSCO) and McAfee Channel Veteran Alex Thurber, most recently at TripWire, is joining Watchguard Technologies as VP of sales. Watchguard, a firewall and unified threat management (UTM) specialist, is a 100 percent pure channel company.

We could not reach Thurber, a former CRN Channel Chief, for comment. Nor did our resident blogger call Watchguard for comment because, um, the […]

New VMware Channel Chief Must Tackle Mobile, Cloud Opportunities

VMware (NYSE:VMW) has officially named Dave O’Callaghan as its senior VP of global channels and alliances. The move, first reported by CRN earlier this month, arrives as VMware marches channel partners toward software-defined data centers; hybrid cloud services and mobile management opportunities.

O’Callaghan is well-known within channel circles, having previously held senior sales and indirect sales positions […]

Rackspace Cloud Channel Partner Program: Who Is in Charge?

Rackspace (NYSE:RAX) remains in growth mode. The company’s OpenStack initiatives are gaining momentum and the company has a successful channel partner program. Now for the challenge: Wall Street wants the cloud services provider (CSP) to grow even faster. And Rackspace has had some executive turnover in its channel partner program. So who’s driving the […]

Juniper: Chris Jones Succeeds Frank Vitagliano

Juniper (NYSE:JNPR) has named Chris Jones to succeed Frank Vitagliano as its VP for Americas Partner Sales. Vitagliano recently exited Juniper to join Dell (NASDAQ:DELL). Jones, a Juniper veteran, previously held VP-level and director-level positions at Proxim and Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO). So what are Jones’ top priorities? Here are some clues.

Jones shifted into the […]

Sophos Names Krause New Americas Channel Chief

Security vendor Sophos has tapped Kendra Krause as channel sales vice president to oversee the company’s Americas partner initiatives.

Krause, who Sophos squired away from rival Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT), will be based in Chicago. She reports to Dick Faulkner, Sophos North American Sales vice president.

Krause’s background includes prior stints in channel sales, marketing and operations […]

Dell SMB Channel Sales: Vitagliano’s New Gig

We all know it’s a good idea to pay attention to us. After all, whose ear is closer to the IT channel ground? Not many, as it turns out…Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) confirmed late Friday that Frank Vitagliano, the iconoclastic channel guru, is the vendor’s new channel sales vice president, just as our sources told him. […]

Cisco Names Liebo New Global Partner Marketing Leader

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) has turned to an internal top services and customer segment marketing executive to lead its partner-facing marketing initiatives, tapping Sherri Liebo as its new global partner marketing vice president, filling a slot vacant since last summer after Amanda Jobbins unexpectedly left the networking giant.

Liebo, who joined Cisco in 2005 after […]

Microsoft Hires Oracle Channel Chief Judson Althoff for North America Sales Push

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has hired former Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) Channel Chief Judson Althoff. According to a Microsoft press release, Althoff will become president, North America Sales and Marketing, and corporate VP. Althoff’s leap to Microsoft, effective March 29, comes only a few days after Oracle announced disappointing Q3 2013 earnings. This could be a huge win for Microsoft […]