Jeremy Butt, the former worldwide channel chief at Avaya, has taken a newly created position running the EMEA region business of distributor Westcon Group.
Westcon, which confirmed Butt's move on Wednesday, recently converged its European unified communications, European security and Africa/India/Middle East operations into one regional business unit. Butt's title will be EMEA Executive Vice President and he will report to Dean Douglas, Westcon president and CEO.
"For more than two decades, Jeremy has built a reputation as one of the premier executives in the channel," Douglas said in a statement. "Jeremy is a great hire for us, as he'll bring the right mix of experience and leadership necessary to power our next stage of growth."
[Related: 10 Key Events in the Avaya Channel This Year]
As vice president of worldwide channels at Avaya, Butt oversaw two of Avaya's biggest-ever channel moves: the launch of its revamped Avaya Connect partner program and the integration of the former Nortel enterprise channel following Avaya's acquisition of the Nortel enterprise business in 2009.
Butt confirmed his impending departure from Avaya in mid-January. Tom Mitchell, Avaya's senior vice president and president, Avaya Go To Market and Butt's former manager, has worldwide oversight for Avaya's channel programs now.
Butt brings to Westcon more than 20 years of sales, marketing and channel leadership experience. He went to Avaya in June 2008 following five years in various channel management roles at Motorola. Westcon remains one of Avaya's most important specialty distributors, and Butt noted he's worked with Westcon many times in the past.
"I've been fortunate enough to work closely with Westcon in EMEA on a number of occasions throughout my career," Butt said in a statement. "The company has lived up to its reputation as a customer-centric distributor with an unmatched level of expertise."
Butt will be based in Slough, U.K., according to Westcon.
