NetApp Hires Former Microsoft Exec To Help Global Partners Expand Cloud, AI: Exclusive

‘At NetApp, I look forward to working with our partners to strengthen a world-class ecosystem that helps customers move from AI ambition to execution by modernizing their data infrastructure, scaling innovation and turning data into measurable business value,’ says Alvaro Celis, NetApp’s new chief partner and ecosystem officer.

NetApp as of this week has a new channel chief thanks to the hiring of a former long-time Microsoft channel executive with a history of working with software, the cloud and AI.

Alvaro Celis is taking over the channel leadership role formerly spearheaded by Jenni Flinders, who left NetApp in December after four and a half years as senior vice president for partners and channels.

Celis now serves as NetApp’s chief partner and ecosystem officer, where he leads the San Jose, Calif.-based company’s Worldwide Partner Organization. His mandate, according to NetApp, is to scale its partner ecosystems across the globe, modernize incentive programs, improve partner satisfaction, and drive revenue growth through indirect channels.

Celis reports directly to Dallas Olson, NetApp’s chief commercial officer.

Prior to joining NetApp, Celis was a 34-year Microsoft veteran. For the last three years, he served as that company’s vice president of global ISV commercial solutions where he led the growth of Microsoft’s multibillion-dollar ISV commercial solutions business to 30-percent-plus year-over-year growth.

Prior to that, Celis spent two years as vice president of worldwide device partner solution sales where he led a global team of over 700 employees focused on the company’s relationships with device builders and channel partners.

Ned Engelke, CTO of Evotek, a San Diego-based solution provider and NetApp channel partner, told CRN that NetApp represents one of the most exciting companies in the storage space overall, not only because of its storage capabilities.

“NetApp can afford you the structure to manage your data, to get visibility to your data, to move stuff around,” Engelke said. “They can also afford you the promise of cloud. Everybody thinks when they sign up for something on the cloud overall, they’re getting the ability to get visibility to the cost of a workload, where can they put it, when can they move it, how do they do it. And NetApp, within their own environment, can do that better than anybody else. Maybe they’re the only company, storage or not, that can do it,”

Engelke said that while he has not had the opportunity to meet Celis, he feels the executive could help expand NetApp’s reach into the cloud and other non-storage-specific opportunities.

“My first reaction is that hiring Celis is a bold move,” he said. “I like mixing things up. From my perspective as a NetApp enthusiast, this is great. The two companies have very different approaches. Microsoft is almost like a very broad-based retail product company, and NetApp is much narrower. So I’m excited about it. I think NetApp is making, from what it looks like to me, some fairly bold moves. The new executive, to me, feels consistent with that, and I’m very positive about it. I'm eager to find out what Celis is going to do.”

NetApp was unavailable to discuss Celis’ appointment in detail. However, the company in a statement said the hire underscores its commitment to advancing capabilities in AI-driven growth and global market expansion, with Celis bringing deep experience scaling multibillion-dollar AI and cloud businesses. Celis will focus on accelerating partner-led growth, deepening alliances, and driving more integrated go-to-market execution, the company said.

Celis, in a prepared statement, said, “AI is reshaping how every organization creates value, competes and grows, and it is also changing how companies go to market, serve customers and scale innovation. In this era, partnerships are a strategic multiplier for innovation, customer outcomes and enterprise transformation. At NetApp, I look forward to working with our partners to strengthen a world-class ecosystem that helps customers move from AI ambition to execution by modernizing their data infrastructure, scaling innovation and turning data into measurable business value.”

NetApp President Cesar Cernuda, in a prepared statement, said that Celis’ appointment reflects NetApp’s strategy to grow by deepening the value it delivers through its ecosystem.

“As customers navigate a rapidly changing AI era, we are committed to helping them succeed with the right technology, the right partners and the right expertise,” Cernuda said. “Alvaro’s leadership will be instrumental in strengthening the relationships that help us scale that commitment and drive the next phase of growth for NetApp.”