The deal between Exclusive Networks and A10 Networks, which strengthens Exclusive’s cybersecurity capabilities, is accompanied by bringing on board two senior executives, Andrew Warren, now Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Exclusive Networks, North America, and Carrie Hopkins, now senior director of business management and sales in Canada,
Distributor Exclusive Networks has signed on with A10 Networks, a specialized network, application and AI security solutions vendor that targets mid-market to enterprise organizations, including global enterprises, service providers, federal agencies, and public sector institutions. The A10 Networks solutions are designed to support customers with complex networking, security, and application delivery requirements. Exclusive also made a pair of strategic executive announcements to strengthen their roster. Distribution veteran Andrew Warren has come on board as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Exclusive Networks, North America. Burlington Ontario-based Carrie Hopkins has joined the Canadian team as senior director of business management and sales, and becomes the de facto head of sales in Canada,
“MSPs, VARs, solution providers and systems integrators are seeking more advanced cybersecurity tools to protect their clients and themselves from the rising threats, and our new relationship with A10 Networks will simplify that process,” Warren said, “This agreement is consistent with our commitment to offering the most comprehensive network, application and AI security solutions to our partners and, ultimately, their clients. We anticipate A10 Networks will bring a wealth of new sales and support opportunities to all the skilled IT and cybersecurity professionals in the Exclusive Networks community.”
Exclusive Networks is a product aggregator and a service orchestrator, helping partners and vendors with their channel routes-to-market. Exclusive Networks has offices in over 45 countries and the ability to serve customers in over 170 countries through distribution and services, They combine a local perspective with the scale and delivery of a single global organization. Fortinet is its primary vendor in North America. The company is dedicated to enhancing its partner ecosystem and market reach in Canada, giving channel customers access to the most advanced cybersecurity technologies and services available based on their real-world needs and feedback.
The A10 Networks solutions are designed to support customers with complex networking, security, and application delivery requirements—such as DDoS protection, SSL inspection, CGNAT, NG-WAF, API and bot protection, and AI-ready high-performance load balancing. Like the executive hires, the addition of A10 Networks to Exclusive Networks’ line card is part of a larger initiative to expand the distributor’s capabilities and presence in North America. This includes revitalized investments in consultative services and offerings that go beyond traditional legacy distribution offerings. The objective is to support resellers and end users in the most practical and urgent ways possible, helping them grow and thrive. The North American team has accelerated its efforts through added leadership and expanded vendor partnerships, training, and services.
The North American team has accelerated its efforts through added leadership and expanded vendor partnerships, training, and services. Vendors are hand-picked, best-of-breed cybersecurity providers, representing the optimum balance of products that can drive new market opportunities for channel partners. As MSPs build their cybersecurity practices, they need a partner to help them quickly navigate the learning curve in this complicated market.
Hopkins said that key advantages of this agreement for the community include more advanced and highly comprehensive network, application and AI security capabilities, At Westcon, like Warren, she worked for Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy.
“I jumped at the opportunity to get the brand going,” Hopkins continued. “I was already very familiar with Exclusive, and took advantage of the chance to work with Andrew again.
“I have been here three months, and every partner has told me we are nimble,” Hopkins continued. “We also have a great second layer of sales reps. We are trying to become the best cybersecurity vendor. I already have a sales team. I’m senior director of business management and sales and we are looking to expand our team. I’m thinking of the next right candidate for a key role. I want to mature the people we have to drive growth. I want to help vendors drive new partners, and want to give them the white glove treatment.”
“We can still matter to some of the big time vendors,” Warren said. “We can build out around pre sales and enablement.
“Vendors today want more choice because of the consolidation in distribution,” he stated. The time is right for a distributor like Exclusive to expand its global reach.
“We have 40-50 Cloudrise employees delivering billable sales in the services market,” he added, Cloudrise, which Exclusive acquired 100% acquired, is a security services provider specializing in Managed Services (MS) and Professional Services (PS) for leading Security Access Service Edge (SASE), Data Security Posture Management (DSPM), and Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) solutions.
“When we signed A10 they really fit in well,” Warren stated. “We see really big market needs from them. They are 100% channel and can offer Fortinet services.”
“We place a high value on organizations that can effectively support our missions in both cybersecurity and the channel, and Exclusive Networks excels in both areas,” said Phil Labas, RVP, Americas channel and alliance partners at A10 Networks. “This relationship will expand our reseller base, education and marketing abilities, and collective technical expertise, as well as support strategic use cases in security and AI across the enterprise market.”
“With Cloudrise as our services arm, we can go to market faster,” Hopkins noted.
“We have 40-50 Cloudrise employees delivering billable sales in the services market,” Warren added.
“We are doing a road show to show us off,” Hopkins noted. It begins in Toronto and Montreal in September, and wraps in Calgary on September 18.
Key advantages of this agreement for the community include more advanced and highly comprehensive network, application and AI security capabilities.
“We can still matter to some of the big time vendors,” Warren said. “We can build out around pre sales and enablement .”
“We have 40-50 Cloudrise employees delivering billable sales in the services market,” he added,
Exclusive will continue to offer training and certifications through highly respected training partners, so solution providers can pursue more opportunities.