SMX strengthens partner program and appoints new CEO

SMX is giving extra support and resources to its partner program, allowing for more data insights to advise partners and customers on cybersecurity threats.

Additionally, the cyber secure email specialist has appointed a new CEO.

SMX says from April 1st, 2022, it will offer partners additional threat intelligence, marketing resources and new revenue opportunities as it re-focuses on selling through the channel.

Furthermore, an Intelligence Centre has been created to identify threat patterns from the company's extensive data set, enabling partners to provide value-added consulting services.

SMX says sales support will include greater access to its security experts, with new resources for marketing, including self-serve campaigns and case studies.

Moreover, a Customer Success Team will provide more efficient customer onboarding and billing for partners.

SMX says the company also intends to launch a new managed service offering to partners in Q2 2022, designed to enhance email cybersecurity.

SMX also notes that its revitalised partner program follows a two-year strategic transformation by the company to become more customer-centric in order to take a more preventative approach.

It says the new approach means it can offer local expertise in conjunction with partners to assist New Zealand and Australian businesses in managing cybersecurity proactively, rather than only dealing with the fallout after an attack.

The change comes after SMX recognised its client base now favours sophisticated, bespoke solutions over more generic global security offerings that can miss nuances in the local threat and regulatory environment.

In addition, SMX says the improved partner program is reinforced by its appointment of Richard Fraser, an experienced technology sales and marketing executive, as CEO.

The company says Fraser joins SMX from NZX-listed Plexure, where he was chief product officer and before that, vice president of strategic solutions sales at Orion Health.

"Australasia has a unique environment where we see businesses interested in a region-specific, locally designed and supported approach to outsourcing cybersecurity, as opposed to using global providers whose more generic offerings can miss local nuances," Fraser says.

"It's within these nuances that the security threat lies. I believe SMX has the data, technical expertise and the vision to deliver that attention to detail through our unique combination of local IT partnerships with leading global software vendors.

SMX has approximately 120 partners throughout New Zealand and Australia. In 2021 the company appointed rhipe as its Australian distributor and moved to an exclusive channel model in the country.

"Our strategy continues to put our customers at the centre of how SMX goes to market. Our customers want greater sophistication in their cyber security efforts," SMX head of channel Shayna Bryers says.

"We deliver that at scale by working alongside our strategic partners. I'm excited about the opportunities available for our partners, where they can leverage SMX specialist expertise and thought leadership from the new data insights, resources and offerings we plan to release this year.