Meru Networks Hires Abad as Channel Chief

Wireless networking provider Meru Networks Inc. has hired a new global channel chief.

Gary Abad, who holds more than 20 years’ experience in the channel, joins Meru as vice president of channel sales. He replaces Cindy Cole Sauvignon, who left Meru in December, and is tasked with overseeing channel program growth and supporting nearly 1,000 partners worldwide.

Abad comes to the company from Kaspersky Labs, where he served as vice president of channel sales from October 2010 to last month. Abad also has held channel roles at F5 Networks, Polycom Inc. and Motorola.

The indirect channel is critical to Meru’s market share. To wit, in 2011, Meru’s channel partners delivered 93 percent of the company’s overall shipments. Meru’s VARs help enterprises deploy WLAN technology that allows for secure mobility as workers bring their own devices to the network. Meru competes against Cisco Systems Inc., Aruba Networks, Hewlett-Packard and Ruckus Wireless, among others.