Longtime Tech Data Exec Makes the Jump to VMware

Eileen Gibson, a longtime executive at three major distributors, has made a big career move. Over the weekend, Gibson posted on her LinkedIn page that she is joining VMware as head of worldwide partner and go-to-market strategy. The job change marks Gibson’s jump from a series of channel partners to a vendor, as she leaves TD Synnex after nearly eight years.

VMware’s Eileen Gibson

Gibson spent more than 20 years spearheading marketing, strategy and enterprise risk management at distributors Avnet, Tech Data and TD Synnex (Tech Data and Synnex merged last year, creating a mega-distributor with more than 150,000 customers in more than 100 countries). Now, she holds responsibility for VMware’s global growth initiatives for managed service providers, VARs and other partners in VMware’s commercial business.

Good Vibes on LinkedIn

“I could not be more excited, but I would be remiss to not acknowledge all the close professional/personal relationships and growth opportunities I’ve had along the way,” Gibson wrote on LinkedIn. “I will miss my old friends but expect to make new ones too. And in this industry, it’s never really ‘goodbye.’ It’s just ‘see you later!’ I will raise a glass to you all tonight! Cheers!”

Channel Futures has reached out to Gibson for comment; it’s fair to assume she is busy onboarding, since Monday is her first day with VMware.

“Eileen’s insights into the business transformation that partners are facing today will be invaluable to VMware as we define and shape the cloud smart ecosystem,” Jeanne Newberry, vice president of worldwide commercial sales and partner go-to-market, told Channel Futures on Monday. “Eileen will have global accountability for driving the go-to-market growth initiatives across our partner routes to market and VMware’s worldwide commercial business. She brings decades of partner ecosystem, services, and strategy experience that will help our partners deliver customer-for-life value.”

“Customer-for-life value” is VMware’s mantra as the company continues its shift away from legacy compensation and other structures.

Channel Experience

Gibson comes to VMware with plenty of experience, relationships and support. To be sure, she has spent most of her career in the technology indirect channel. From March 2021 up to now, she served as vice president of enterprise risk management and corporate programs at TD Synnex. Prior to that, she handled market management and strategy at the distributor (when it was Tech Data) for almost seven years. She joined Tech Data from Avnet back in the summer of 2009, after three years away from Avnet at a channel management consulting firm. Gibson originally signed on with Avnet in mid-1995 and worked there for 11 years. She also holds other industry experience with IBM and Dataflex (not to be confused with Microsoft’s relationship database tool).

Gibson’s LinkedIn post announcing her job change has so far garnered more than 150 kudos and almost 300 likes. The reactions to Gibson’s LinkedIn post announcing her job change speak to the extensive impact she has had, and will continue to have, on the channel.