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If Joel Hackney has one message for the Avaya channel in the wake of Todd Abbott's high-profile executive departure this month, it's that Avaya's newfound channel momentum -- on the back of its successful integration of Nortel's enterprise unit -- isn't going to stall.
"We're high-touch, channel-centric. We're focused on accelerating, and that's the message," said Hackney, who officially became Avaya's senior vice president of sales and marketing and president, field operations on June 14.
Abbott, who joined Avaya in May 2008 from Seagate, stepped down from his post to pursue other interests, according to Avaya.
In a CRN interview, Hackney said that partner concern about the move is understandable, seeing as Abbott was one of the most visible executives behind Avaya's revamped channel programs and the Nortel acquisition.
"Todd felt it was the right time to pursue something different," Hackney said. "He helped us tremendously to lay out a high-touch, channel-centric strategy, and he helped us architect and close the acquisition and led a lot of work around first six months."
Abbott could not be reached for comment.
Hackney previously led Nortel's enterprise business unit before it was acquired by Avaya, and then joined Avaya to head up government and data operations. In his new role, he will continue to oversee the government unit, but Avaya Data Solutions is now under Steve Bandrowczak, vice president and general manager, Avaya Data Solutions, and, like Hackney, a former Nortel executive.
"I don't expect it at all," Hackney said, when asked whether there would be additional major executive or program changes at Avaya. "What we've committed to the partner base is that we're going to increase our channel concentration, and we've already grown from 52 percent to 70 percent plus. The team strategy is to continue."
The continued integration, including the product launch plans that Abbott had previously mentioned, is on track, Hackney said.
"People know this is the right thing for the industry base. We're stronger coming out of this economic cycle," he said. "In the short term, we will have an additional set of product launches that will significantly refresh pretty much our complete product suite, up and down."
Hackney said he's spent his first two weeks in the role reaching out to Avaya VARs and distributors, and planned to host additional roundtables with partners in various sales theaters.
"The partner community knows I'm one that gets in there with them, and that this is a commitment both from a business and a personal perspective," he said. "I'm seeing them respond well."
