Avaya has a new Australia and New Zealand managing director, with Jeff Sheard taking over the role from Tony Simonsen.

Sheard has been with Avaya since November 2014, as the company's enterprise and government director. Sheard has more than 25 years experience building IT businesses and teams in Australia and across APAC, most notably within HP's enterprise group and Cisco Systems.

Mike Ansley, Avaya Asia Pacific president, says Sheard's collaborative management approach and focus on execution will help drive further success for Avaya across Australia and New Zealand.

“As Avaya helps our customers deploy the most effective team engagement and customer engagement solutions to drive their own business success, Jeff's knowledge and skill in leading teams to deliver tangible results will be invaluable,” Ansley says.

Sheard says new technology continues to enhance and accelerate the way companies do business, with a focus on delivering the highest levels of ‘customer delight'.

“Avaya helps businesses move beyond collaboration to benefit from truly impactful engagement, though its acclaimed networking, contact centre and unified communications capabilities for companies of all sizes,” he says.

“I believe Avaya is uniquely placed to deliver exactly what Australian and New Zealand businesses need to support their growth objectives.

Simonsen has left to pursue other opportunities, Avaya says.