Microsoft hires Aussie cloudy Transformer Man to run Brit channels

Microsoft has hired Aussie and self proclaimed “chief transformer” Martin Gregory as the next person to lead the UK channel – and the man has a very cloudy background.

Former channel director Linda Rendleman – who was in the role for nearly two years – quit Blighty in August and moved to Florida to run a partner team unit covering distie Tech Data.

Newbie Gregory had worked at Microsoft for two decades, latterly as director of cloud business development. He left in 2010 and moved into consultancy roles, helping companies build a cloud practice.

Most recently he was CEO and chief transformer at Transformer Consulting, based in Sydney.

Gregory rejoins Microsoft as partner business and development director for the UK and Ireland, said Clare Barclay, GM of the small and mid-market solutions partner group.

“Martin will be responsible for leading the partner strategy, programme and marketing at this pivotal time in the transformation to cloud services in the partner ecosystem in the UK,” she said.

Microsoft is shifting more fees to channel partners that sell its cloud services, as it gradually slashes the amount of money paid out to old world suppliers that are sticking to on-premise wares.

The Cloud Solution Provider scheme is starting to gain some traction, and this programme is where the channel power base in Microsoft is shifting.

Microsoft old timer Barclay pointed out the “partner transformation and cloud experience” that Gregory has amassed, arguing he had helped end users and 2,000 software suppliers shift to the fluffy white stuff across 15 countries in the last five years.

Gregory has laid claim to helping companies shift their business into the digital world, but El Chan wonders if the man is ready for a British winter, when at home his old diggers will be sunning themselves on the beach on Christmas Day. ®