Riverbed Appoints Ex-BMC Exec to Channel Chief Post

WAN optimization and performance management provider Riverbed Technology (RVBD) has appointed Keith Hoskison, a 25-year IT industry veteran with executive stints at Aruba Networks (ARUN), BMC, Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Enterasys as its new channel chief.

Hoskison, whose official title is Worldwide Channels and Strategic Account Programs senior vice president, joins Riverbed to run its channels in the wake of the vendor’s recent partner program overhaul to a competency- rather than revenue-based model, scheduled to go into effect in early January. He takes over the position from Randy Schirman, who is moving into the position of senior vice president, Service Delivery, according to Riverbed.

Hoskison’s experience in IT management, networking, application delivery, virtualization, cloud, storage, unified communications and mobility markets was a critical factor not only in his hiring but also in his ability to execute the vendor’s new strategy going forward, the company noted.

At its recent Analyst Day event Riverbed said it had completed its four-year blueprint to transform from a single-product vendor to a platform company. With an expanded product set, Riverbed said it has positioned itself to capitalize on the application performance infrastructure market, a segment estimated to be 10 times larger than its core $1 billion WAN optimization sector.

In his new role, Hoskison will be tasked with enacting Riverbed’s global partner strategy, execution and strategic sales programs, and broadening the vendor’s relationships with channel partners.

Hoskison will report to David Peranich, Riverbed Worldwide Field Operations president, who termed him a specialist in architecting and executing strategic relationship management programs targeting global accounts, channel partners and strategic alliances.

“Keith’s experience will be instrumental as we move from tactical selling to consultative relationship-building with CXOs to sell our complete platform for location-independent computing,” said Peranich. “He will also be responsible for driving new channel initiatives and programs, and expanding our relationships with service providers, system integrators and VARs as they embrace and extend our platform.”

Immediately prior to taking the Riverbed position, Hoskison served as BMC’s Showcase Accounts area vice president for more than six years. That followed short stints at Enterasys as Americas Sales vice president and Aruba as Worldwide Channels vice president, after an 11-year tenure at Cisco that concluded in his role as Channels and Alliances vice president.

“Riverbed has transformed from a single-product company to a platform company, and with its expanded product set is well-positioned to address a market more than 10 times the size of its original market,” said Hoskison. “This is an amazing opportunity for growth—for me personally as well as for the company,” he said.