Nextgen realigns business model with new leadership structure

Nextgen has realigned its go-to-market model to a ‘vendor first’ strategy, resulting in an organisational restructuring and streamlining of its vendor portfolio. 

Wendy O’Keeffe will have the new role as vice president of sales and marketing for A/NZ and Lynne Jeffery will become the new VP of strategic partnerships and alliances. Steve Smith will be promoted to general manager of New Zealand, and Mick Lehmann will return to being the director of government, based in Canberra. 

Ryan James has been hired as the new director of telco and GSIs based in Melbourne and James Walters has been promoted into a global role within Exclusive Networks. Walters will relocate to the US in September. 

Nextgen CEO John Walters said realigning the business model to ‘vendor first’ doesn’t mean it won’t focus on partners, but rather sharpen its partner support and focus on key vendor relationships. The rationalisation of around 15 vendor relationships will take place during July. 

“We’re returning to a vendor-first strategy where sales, vendor management, sales support, technical support, and channel marketing will all be in a one team under one team leader approach,” Walters said. 

“Our partners are looking for us to have the right vendors with the right ecosystem of technology alliances supported by unique services driven by a knowledgeable team with the right credentials, capabilities, and attitude.” 

As the new VP of sales and marketing, O’Keeffe will ensure a fluid, disciplined, aggressive, data-driven and holistic sales motion for vendors into channel partners, Walters said. 

“She will also ensure that our unique services model, incorporating lead and demand generation, oSpace, digital marketing, Elastic Digital, our cyber lab and our cloud economics consulting business, Optima are fully embraced and well positioned in the market to support a refocus of our core vendors that want and need increased engagement and support.”

Walters indicated Canberra will become a strategic focus for the business as a number of core vendors have IRAP assessments, presenting mass market opportunities. 

Nextgen, which was acquired by Exclusive Networks last year, has continued to witness its services capabilites embraced globally. In particular, with its home-grown cyber lab, which has attracted massive investment and is now available through Exclusive Networks globally. As a result, Hayden Loader, who runs the cyber lab, has been offered a global position. 

In regards to oSpace, Nextgen has about 15 staff in the lead and demand generation unit in the USA.

“Nextgen continues to grow above the market, and in the first half, our growth is over 20% year on year. This realignment will ensure continued market leadership, innovation, growth, and value for both our vendors and our partner community,” Walters said. 

In February, Walters indicated this year will see Nextgen position itself for strong growth as it aims to capitalise on opportunities, particularly in key markets such as cyber security and data resilience.

The integration of Nextgen and Exclusive Networks involved significant changes to the business, including a restructuring that saw the departures of Danny Meadows in New Zealand and Gavin Lawless in Australia. 

On top of the management changes, Nextgen also shifted its global financial year to calendar FY and added new vendors to its portfolio from Exclusive Networks’ stack.