Dell Technologies recently announced a strategic change to its leadership team, appointing Denise Millard as the new chief partner officer. Millard will report directly to Bill Scannell, president of global sales and customer operations, with a focus on enhancing its global partner ecosystem and driving growth and innovation in key technologies areas.
The Year AI Becomes “Real”
Artificial intelligence is key to unlocking value within data and it is becoming one of the most important business tools for small businesses and MSPs alike. Millard said she’s bullish on the positive impacts of AI as it is integrated more widely into products and services.
Denise Millard
“As we celebrate Dell’s 40th birthday, technology is more essential today than ever before. This is the year GenAI becomes real for people, in terms of how efficiency gains will impact businesses throughout the economy. We are excited to seize the opportunities ahead, working hand in hand with our partner ecosystem.”
When Microsoft Co-Pilot launched, Dell was quick to announce new strategic services designed to help MSPs capitalize. But that’s just one recent example. Millard spoke about Dell’s success with AI adoption and utilization, and was enthusiastic about their role in shaping the future of AI-powered technology.
“We offer the broadest portfolio of GenAI solutions, which allows partners to support a variety of use cases and budget plans to meet their customers at any stage of their GenAI journey,” she explained. “We are embedding AI in our products, running our customers’ AI solutions on our portfolio, integrating AI for our customers, and most importantly, building an open AI ecosystem with our partners.
“To simplify and support MSPs in integrating AI, we are bringing AI to their data on-prem, across clouds, at the edge and on the PC. We are empowering MSPs to play a crucial role in helping their customers navigate the complexities of AI and the evolving modern workplace landscape to open opportunities for growth and innovation.”
Will Shift in Leadership Shake the Partner Commitment?
There’s no wavering in Dell’s commitment to the channel ecosystem and, more specifically, its partner program. That’s because MSPs fuel Dell’s profitability.
In fact, according to Millard, 50% of Dell’s net revenue in the past four quarters came from partners.
“As we move deeper into 2024, we will continue to invest in the areas that help us collectively stay ahead of the curve, including AI, multicloud, edge and cybersecurity,” she noted. “Our priorities include growing and modernizing our core business; building new market opportunities; and strengthening collaboration and streamlining the partner experience.
“To enable partners to adapt to current tech trends, we are continuing to automate processes, policies and tools to enhance our partners’ experience, emphasizing collaboration and predictability of engagement.”
The Personal Connection
The restructuring also introduces a new alignment within Dell’s global channel sales teams, which now report to their respective regional sales leaders. This change aims to enhance the integration of Dell’s channel and broader sales teams, fostering a more region-specific approach to partner support and engagement in go-to-market activities.
This announcement coincided with the departure of Millard’s predecessor, Diego Majdalani, who will be leaving Dell at the end of March. Like other notable senior members of the Dell team, Millard had kind words for her predecessor.
“Diego Majdalani had a significant impact in strengthening our global partner program during his nearly 20-year career at Dell,” Millard said. “We thank him for his leadership and wish him all the best. As I step into [this role], I am looking forward to continuing this work and advancing the opportunities ahead for partners.”
When asked what this change meant for her both personally and professionally, Millard shared some key details.
“Change always brings opportunities for growth and development. I’ve been passionate about enabling sales and partner organizations for more than 25 years, and my new role presents a tremendous opportunity for continued growth and collaboration at Dell. My incredible Dell team will help bring this opportunity to life.
“It’s an honor to continue leading global partner strategy, with a broader scope of responsibility and a chance to shape the strategic vision for Dell’s go-to-market partner ecosystems.”
