Public-Bound AvePoint Names Jason Beal As New Channel Chief: Exclusive

Microsoft 365 data management and migration specialist AvePoint has appointed Jason Beal, a former Palo Alto Networks channel leader, as its new head of global channel and partner ecosystems as the company prepares to go public.

Beal, who has more than 20 years of experience in the tech sector, told CRNtv, “First and foremost, I’m going to listen and learn,” when asked what his top priorities are for the channel in 2021.

“There’s nothing that’s more valuable than the voice of partner,” added Beal.

[RELATED: Building Diversity With AvePoint And Stir-frying Shrimp Fried Rice]

He also said there isn’t a partner conversation that doesn’t include the topic of services.

“More and more partner-types are looking at how to really build a services economy around their vendor partnerships,” Beal said.

This is even more important following the hundreds of millions of users who were moved to collaboration platforms for the first time at the start of the pandemic in 2020.

Beal told CRNtv that channel partners who chose to work with AvePoint can benefit from this unprecedented growth in collaboration security and data governance.

“At AvePoint we like to say, ‘We’re empowering organizations to collaborate with confidence, and that collaboration security brings collaboration sanity,’” said Beal. “That means helping them to scrub the data, sterilize some of that data, sort it, reduce [Microsoft] Teams sprawl, bring down some of their unnecessary backup costs, and then really to address that data leakage that could inadvertently be happening from employees. That’s the opportunity in 2021 for solution providers to work with AvePoint.”

Beal’s appointment is one investment in a series of moves from AvePoint, including its intent to merge with Apex Technology Acquisition Corporation, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company.

“I think it’s pretty unique that our CEO has come out and clearly stated to the press, to the analysts, to the investor community that channel is one of our primary growth and investment pillars as we move onto the public market,” Beal said. “So solution providers, our partners, our MSPs who are watching this today, I can assure you channel is a huge part of our future; you’re going to see a ton of investment. We’ve already been able to increase the size of the channel team that’s going to be working with you hand and glove out there in the field, enhancing our partner program, and really helping you as a solution provider to maximize your services economy.”

Tune in to CRNtv to hear more from Beal on what his main goals are for his first year in the new role.