HPE Internal Memo: GE Digital Channel Exec Samuels To Lead Worldwide Indirect Sales Organization

Denzil Samuels, the global head of channels for General Electrics' GE Digital unit, has been appointed the head of Hewlett Packard Enterprise's (HPE's) worldwide indirect sales organization, according to an internal HPE memo obtained by CRN.

Samuels, who also headed up the Salesforce.com worldwide partner network for nearly five years, replaces Kerry Bailey, a former Verizon Terremark executive who held the worldwide indirect sales job for just 15 months and is leaving HPE to pursue other opportunities.

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"Denzil will be responsible for accelerating execution of our strategy around Hybrid IT and the Intelligent Edge in collaboration with all parts of our partner ecosystem," said HPE Chief Sales Officer Peter Ryan in an internal memo.

Samuels takes on the new position effective Jan. 17.

Ryan, who took over a new worldwide HPE global sales organization, including indirect and regional sales, last June, said Samuels' experience will be "invaluable in driving HPE and partner growth related to Hybrid IT, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the need for greater intelligence at the edge of the network."

Ryan noted in the memo that the indirect sales organization is "fundamental to the success of the Enterprise Group and to our go to market strategy."

Partners said they see Samuels appointment as key to driving indirect sales growth in cutting-edge, emerging markets like intelligent edge, Internet of Things and big data. They said Samuels's experience at both GE Digital and Salesforce.com is set to power a digital transformation revolution in the HPE channel.

Bob Venero, CEO of Holbrook, N.Y.-based solution provider Future Tech, No. 167 on the 2016 CRN SP500 who has known Samuels for a decade, said he sees the appointment as a game-changer for HPE.

"He is the right guy at the right time," said Venero. "Denzil is a very impactful executive. I see Denzil engaging at all levels with partners to drive more digital transformation solutions for HPE customers. I can't wait to get together with him to discuss what we can do at Future Tech to help drive more digital transformation."

As the global head of channels, alliances, business development and ventures for GE Digital, Samuels focused on "using machine data to provide industrial companies with analytics and insights."

Venero called Samuels a "very channel-focused individual who understands the channel side of the business as well as the the customer" side of the business.

"Denzil has always been in leading edge roles," said Venero. "I see him moving quickly to help HPE drive more sales growth in areas like Internet of Things and big data," he said.

Kelly Ireland, CEO and president of CB Technologies, Orange, Calif., one of just 48 CRN Triple Crown award winners in 2016, said she couldn't be happier about Samuels' appointment given CB Technologies focus on cutting edge technologies like CB's own internet of things AIP (Asset Intelligence Platform) and CLOUD@scale private hybrid cloud.

"Denzil's appointment is right in line with what CB Technologies is doing," she said. "He comes from General Electric which is known as an engineering company that was making its own digital transformation. We are really excited because our top two solutions are all about intelligent edge and hybrid IT which is where GE played with big data and analytics."

Ireland said she expects Samuels' appointment to have a big impact on partner digital transformation sales and profits. "Denzil knows how to build a cutting edge digital transformation channel," said Ireland.

In the memo, Ryan said he was "personally grateful" for all that Bailey, who joined HPE just over three years ago to build a "worldwide cloud go to market sales machine," had done for HPE. "Under Kerry's leadership, HPE has been recognized as having the number one partner program in the marketplace," said Ryan. "I am very personally grateful for all that Kerry has done for our business and I wish him nothing but the best in the future."