From its headquarters in the US, multinational software company VMware simplifies the complex IT infrastructure for its 500,000 customers located all over the world. It has a global alliance network of 75,000 partners, and its operations are guided by its one cloud, any application, any device architecture, based on three pillars of modern technology: the software-defined data centre, which enables the unified hybrid cloud, and end-user computing.
Scott Dodds is VMware’s vice president of channels and alliances in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Since his appointment in February this year, he has been responsible for developing and nurturing partner relationships as well as profitably growing and promoting the software-defined data centre, end-user computing, and hybrid cloud services. Scott has over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, having previously worked for Microsoft Corporation, Acer, and Compaq, and brings ample knowledge to the role.
I have a long history of working with partners; in fact, during most of my career I have worked with, worked for, or managed partner communities, Scott says. Partnering has always been at the core it is basically core to my DNA. I think it’s fair to say that one of the reasons I am here now is the fact that partnering is also an absolutely critical part of the DNA of VMware. The business has been built on relationships with partners over the last 10 to 12 years and it continues to be the main focus, hence my interest and arrival here.
Since 1998, VMware has been successfully navigating the challenges and disruptions that the IT sector has thrown its way. It has been instrumental in transforming the industry, by launching leading-edge software-defined technology which is highly innovative and has the ability to change the way customers think about, use, and gain value from their IT investments.
We call it fearless innovation, Scott explains. We did it firstly with the computer virtualisation layers. We have been moving the hardware to a more software-defined platform with consistent management across it, and we are moving that into networking, into storage, into security, and into the cloud. I think that transformation is kind of analogous to the way that we need to work with our partners and our alliances. We are having to constantly look forward and innovate, and I think our relationship with our partner community has the same task. We have got to constantly move forward, help them to move into the new areas of the industry and support them in that. We are in this liquid world, as we call it. Things change very fast.