“He was definitely very enthusiastic. He was the kind of guy you’d want to go out and have a drink with and talk to. There’s definitely a loss there,” said the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native. said Michael Goldstein, president and CEO of LAN Infotech, a Dell-based partner.
John Byrne, a longtime sales leader and former channel chief at Dell Technologies, is retiring as president of sales, global regions and Dell Technologies Select after nearly 10 years with the company.
Starting February 1, Byrne’s team will report to Bill Scannell, president of global sales and customer operations for Dell Technologies, according to a statement from Dell.
“Life is incredibly short. My family has always been the most important thing. It’s my legacy and my time is my investment,” Byrne said on LinkedIn Thursday. “Until our future endeavors begin, for now I would like to spend time following my family’s daily rhythms and experiencing our lives and this world together.”
An avid channel advocate, Mr. Byrne played a key role as channel chief starting in 2016 after Dell acquired EMC for $67 billion, at the time the largest IT acquisition in history, leading Dell and EMC’s channel programs. Integrated. He moved into a new role as Dell’s North American sales leader in 2017, from which he progressed to other North American and global executive sales roles.
Channel partners across the country told CRN that Byrne’s approachable style and keen market analysis make him a trusted advisor to MSPs of all sizes.
Gary McConnell, CEO of VirtuIT, a Platinum Partner of Dell “I was looking for something,” he told CRN. “One thing I remember clearly is that he was able to provide a clear, data-backed explanation of what Dell was thinking and where our partners fit into that picture. is.”
Michael Goldstein, president and CEO of LAN Infotech, a Dell partner based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., interacted with Byrne when he was channel chief.
“He was definitely very enthusiastic. He was the kind of guy you’d want to go out and have a drink with and talk to. There’s definitely a loss there.”
Goldstein, a longtime Dell partner, said he believes this is just a personnel change and not a more significant structural change to Dell’s revenue.
“We’re all going through these changing times. It’s a super competitive space. He’s a very nice guy,” Goldstein told CRN. “Dell is heading into a big year with the end of support for Windows 10. I don’t think it will ‘rock the boat’ too much within the channel. We all have to deal with this. ”
Dell Technologies announced in a company statement that starting February 1, Byrne’s team will report to Bill Scannell, president of global sales and customer operations for Dell Technologies.
Byrne spent eight years at AMD, where he was promoted to senior vice president and general manager of 2,000 people, reporting directly to CEO Lisa Su. He left in March 2015 and took a job at Dell.
In 2016, CRN reported that Byrne joined Dell on the advice of Chief Integration Officer Rory Reed, who previously worked with Byrne at AMD. Byrne joins the Round Rock, Texas-based company as global vice president of sales strategy and operations. A few months later, Dell added channels to his title with Cheryl Cook, then vice president of global channels and alliances.
For the past nine years, Mr. Byrne led channel sales at the Texas computer manufacturer Round Rock, then led commercial sales in North America, and was eventually named president of sales, global regions and Dell Technologies. I did.
Mr. Byrne regularly appeared on stage at Dell Technologies World and other Dell events around the world. In his farewell remarks, he thanked Michael Dell, founder, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies, Jeff Clark, vice chairman and chief operating officer, and Mr. Scannell. expressed.
“The future is very bright for Dell Technologies, and I can’t wait to see the incredible impact the company will have in the years to come,” he said. “This has been an extraordinary journey and a lot of fun.”
Bill Swales, vice president of U.S. commercial sales at Lenovo and former vice president and channel chief at VMware, wished Byrne the best of luck in his next chapter in a LinkedIn message.
“What an honor it has been to partner and work with you over the years,” Swales wrote. “Your core values, wisdom, and energy always inspire me.”
Former Dell channel chief Sheryl Cook wrote under Byrne’s post that he was “one of the good guys!”
“Wishing you all the best and continued success in all your pursuits. Enjoy your family time!” she wrote. “Working with you is always a highlight! You are one of the best and one of the good guys!”
Meanwhile, Red Hat senior vice president and CRO Andrew Brown said he was hopeful the two sides could potentially meet in a Scottish Professional Football League match.
“Good luck, John,” he wrote. “We might bump into each other on the SPFL terrace/stand.”
