Amy Brady was appointed to the key post of Dell EMC Business Unit Manager in August 2021. We spoke to her about the role, her ambitions, and how she sees the future for the three-way partnership between TD SYNNEX, Dell Technologies, and their mutual partners.
Like many of us, Amy Brady is relieved that the shackles on movement and events are now finally being lifted. Especially now she’s got well and truly into her new role as Dell EMC business unit manager. ‘I am really looking forward to meeting partners. I have missed the personal interaction with our customer and vendors. It’s great to be – albeit gradually – getting back out there, face-to face.’
She sees this as being key to her role of ensuring that TD SYNNEX is seen as the trusted advisor and preferred partner for the vendor.
We strive to be our partners’ trusted advisor
‘We want to be seen as the number-one choice for partners who want to engage with Dell Technologies and help partners take their strategy to market. We strive to be our partners’ trusted advisor, helping them drive growth, reduce cost, be more efficient, and improve customer satisfaction. The key, I believe, is to provide technical thought leadership, to help partners decide the direction of their future business. Working together to evolve into the new world of solution aggregation.’
Progressive approach
Indeed, it is Dell’s progressive approach in an IT landscape that is changing faster than ever that attracted her to this new challenge. ‘In the various roles I’ve had throughout my 16 years in the industry, I have worked with multiple vendors and what drew me to working with Dell Technologies was their innovation in private cloud and hybrid cloud solutions.’
Now that Dell is moving quickly towards an ‘as-a-service’ approach with its Project APEX strategy, cloud and hybrid are front and centre of the company’s agenda. ‘Partners are adapting to the move towards as-a-service and cloud, and APEX delivers a consumption model for IT Infrastructure while allowing partners to wrap their own services around Dell’s offerings,’ she said.
We can work with you to drive sales and to develop and provide wrap-around services
The project has seen Dell partner with other vendors to deliver IaaS options, such as VMware to provide vSAN on the Dell EMC's VxRail hyper-converged platform, and Microsoft to provide an HCI solution on the Azure cloud.
These solutions are just starting to become more widely available to partners and TD SYNNEX is ready to help them learn about, get enabled, and take them to market. Amy Brady sees this as a huge opportunity – for all partners current and new to Dell.
‘The rate of change in technology and the rapid adoption of cloud, edge computing, and IoT are all challenges for partners to help their customers address and, whether you’re an SMB partner, VAR, MSP, or system integrator, we can work with you to drive sales and to develop and provide wrap-around services.’
Making a difference
Being in this new role is also a big personal opportunity, she added, and one she is grateful TD SYNNEX has entrusted to her. ‘For me personally, being promoted onto the Advanced Solutions leadership team is a prime example of how TD SYNNEX is supporting the growth of all its employees and women in business.’
The fact that it is constantly moving and no one day is the same, is what I love about working in the channel
Diversity and equality are taken very seriously at TD SYNNEX. The company recently launched its second Women in TD SYNNEX awards programme, and three colleagues are shortlisted for the industry-wide CRN Women in Channel 2021 awards. The company’s Elevate business resource group aims to empower women to thrive through development, education, and networking, and its SPECTRUM group promotes a safe and welcoming environment, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
These are qualities of the business that are not often seen or talked about yet underpin and support the people and teams who make a difference to partners. The exceptional support that the company provides for its staff was evident throughout the pandemic, Amy Brady told us, and everyone at the company is now excited about the prospect of being part of the world’s biggest IT distribution business. ‘I think the merger is very exciting. For the UK and Ireland, it is very much business as usual. Everyone has been very positive and looking forward to how it will evolve over time.’
It also makes TD SYNNEX an even stronger partner, she noted. One that not only has relationships with all the main vendors, but also with key analysts and channel organisations, such as Gartner and CompTIA. ‘This allows us aggregate market intelligence for partners, see what’s happening in the market and understand where partners need our support’ she said.
She feels fortunate to have been given this opportunity in a business that is still driven by relationships. ‘For me it’s all about people. There are so many great people in our industry. That and the fact that it is constantly moving and no one day is the same, is what I love about working in the channel.’
Energy and enthusiasm
It is this energy and enthusiasm which, (when she is not channelling it into weight training and working-out with her boxing personal trainer) she is carrying into her role as Dell business manager. And Amy Brady believes TD SYNNEX is perfectly placed to make a real difference for Dell partners.
We have the resources and ability to help and support partners
‘We have the resources and ability to help and support partners to get certified and to sell the Dell EMC range of solutions and technologies. Partners have skills in varying areas but where they may lack in one, we can help. With Dell EMC and TD SYNNEX’s offerings around solutions and services, and the skill and experience of our sales and technical teams, we can work in partnership with our customers and vendors as one team.’
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