Pure Storage APJ chief technology officer, Michael Cornwell.
Flash vendor, Pure Storage, has appointed Ben Goodman as director of channel for Asia-Pacific and Japan.
Goodman will be responsible for driving all aspects of the channel ecosystem, including distribution and system integrators, and the infrastructure to support them.
He will also be tasked with partner recruitment and extending Pure’s coverage, and overseeing programs and activities to create demand through partners, supporting sales, presales and services enablement efforts. He will be based in Singapore.
The appointment follows a number of changes to senior executive leadership team on the back of growth in the region.
These include the promotion of Nigel Peach to the new role of director of alliances and systems integrators for APJ and Southern Cross Computers chief executive, Mike Sakalas, who joined Pure as country manager for A/NZ, replacing Peach in the local business.
Goodman is a veteran of the IT industry, having risen through the ranks and emerged a regional leader overseeing teams across Asia Pacific.
His career includes 12 years at EMC, where he departs the role of director of sales strategy and transformation, Asia Pacific.
Pure Storage chief technology officer, Michael Cornwell, told ARN, Goodman was a skilled sales executive.
"He is going to run channel for all of APJ," he said.
"It's something we are absolutely ecstatic about and it shows our dedication to the channel.
He said the last 18 months had been really about establishing a footprint "and we have done that very successfully.
"For Pure Storage, this is our year of the channel... and this is going to be one of our showcase markets for that.
"I am absolutely looking at partner recruitment. I am looking for partners who want to add choice to their business in the storage platform that they provide.
"A lot of resellers are demanding a second or third choice. Those are the partners we are looking for in the market - that have existing relationships, but might not be that happy."
Cornwell is a founding engineer at Pure Storage.
He has served in both technical and business leadership roles to aid the company’s rapid growth, with particular focus in the APJ region.
He has 53 US patents awarded in flash and other storage technologies and is perhaps most recognised in his former life as the manager of storage engineering for the iPod division of Apple, where he was instrumental in the adoption of NAND flash in Apple products, including the iPod and iPhone.
Pure Storage also recently sealed an A/NZ distribution deal with Distribution Central.
Pure Storage vice-president, APJ, Michael Alp, said Goodman had an outstanding track record and maintained a clear focus around creating loyalty and driving mutual success with the channel community, leading with the technologies and innovation that create customer value.
"This will be invaluable in his new role, as Pure continues to rapidly grow with the support of a strong partner network across the region.”
