VMware Canada Nabs Former Cisco Exec for Channel Chief Post

VWware’s (VMW) operation in Canada has hired a former Cisco Systems (CSCO) top channel executive as its channel chief to head both partner and commercial sales.

Donna Wittmann, formerly a Cisco Partner Led Sales vice president and Canadian Partner Organization vice president, will take the helm of VMware Canada’s channel sales at the director level in the next week or two, according to a report in Computer Dealer News. VMware Canada’s channel chief position has been vacant since February, when Jas Sahota left the company.

Wittmann left Cisco early in 2012 after three years to take a position as chief marketing officer for Tennis Canada but after 18 months she elected to return to IT to take the VMware position. The CDN report said Wittmann initially was interested in an open channel chief position at Microsoft (MSFT) Canada but the company instead tapped Rob Stevens, its Office 365 sales head, to fill the position.

Eric Gales, VMware Canada country manager, has reformatted the channel chief position to focus on growing the channel organization and recruiting more partners. Earlier this year, Gales elevated Bruce Trotman to Distribution national account manager, removing that responsibility from the channel chief’s duties.

At Cisco, Wittmann worked with Dave O’Callaghan, now VMware’s Global Channels and Alliances senior vice president (channel chief), but at the time Cisco’s worldwide commercial sales vice president, on the Partner Led initiative. As Cisco’s Canadian partner operation vice president, Wittmann was responsible for managing more than 2,000 partners in Canada and had sole revenue accountability for Cisco’s small and medium business segment.

Before joining Cisco Canada, Wittmann served as Dell Global Software vice president, Dell Canada’s Software and Peripherals vice president and also held a Sales and Marketing vice president position at Xerox, according to her LinkedIn profile.

While at Tennis Canada, a non-profit, national sport association responsible for leading the growth, promotion and showcasing of tennis in Canada, Wittmann was credited with growing corporate sponsorships for major in-country tournaments.