Kaspersky Lab has appointed Andrew Lintell as channel director for Europe to lead its newly formed European channel organisation.
Lintell, who was previoulsy director of corporate sales for UK & Ireland, will be responsible for creating and implementing a European Partner Programme and go to market initiatives across the region in cooperation with country general managers, sales and channel leaders.
The new channel boss (pictured) recognises the growth of Kaspersky’s B2B business, and his goal is “to deliver a better approach to the market…a consistent way” that will build on a “very successful organisation that is already 100 percent channel [focused]”
Lintell’s background includes time at Microsoft and in the dotcom world, which he feels has prepared him for, “an AV market that is changing.” In his view, the emergence of Kaspersky as a strong player in the market mirrors a wider trend that “will see some of the names [in the AV space] going away.”
The exec outlines a vision where Kaspersky, through its channel, starts to offer more solutions further up the stack and the exec hints at new products. When pressed on areas like mobile device management and social network security, Lintel fails to be drawn but suggests these are both areas that the firm is looking at with a keen eye.
In terms of distribution, he sees little change from the firm’s strong relationships with Exclusive, Wick Hill, Ingram Micro and Enta, and is lining up several channel promotions to help partners win more business opportunities.
One such scheme is a chance for partners to earn branding and full corporate hospitality package for racing events in partnership with Ferrari. The firm is also ramping up a number of open days and partner seminars over the second half of the year – ahead of possible product launches in early 2013.
