Patricia Murphy, Michelle Saw, Palo Alto Networks

Patricia Murphy is the VP EMEA & LATAM ecosystems, strategic alliances and channel at Palo Alto Networks. With over 25 years of technology leadership experience, Patricia is focused on driving consistent engagement with all partners, including MSSPs, enhancing Palo Alto Networks representation and ensuring a diverse and high-performing ecosystem.

Patricia joined Palo Alto Networks from Apple in France, where she held the position of Executive Managing Director of Enterprise. During her tenure, Patricia successfully steered Apple France into a digital transformation partner with a focused approach on developing a strategic ecosystem of VARs, SPs, SIs and MSPs.

Number of years in current role:

1.5

Number of years in current company:

1.5

Number of years involved in indirect/channel sales:

15

Reports to:

Helmut Reisinger, CEO EMEA LATAM

Number of employees in channel organisation:

300

What percentage of overall sales come through the channel?

Do not wish to disclose.

What is your personal channel philosophy?

Mutually rewarding partnerships are built on trust and defined by value exchange between the parties involved, with clear expectations and accountability on both sides. I believe, as a technology provider/vendor, it is our job to convince our partners everyday why they should invest time and effort in choosing to work with us. In return, I would like to see partners invest in building a practice around technology that truly delivers scale and enhances customer experience.

What were your biggest personal channel accomplishments over the past year?

I was instrumental in optimising the distribution landscape and strategy, increasing the channel-sourced business by 100 per cent year-over-year, and activating strategic new partners.

What were your organisation's biggest channel accomplishments over the past year?

We have launched a brand-new partner programme, including industry-leading incentives to maximise partner profitability and all-new online training and enablement. In addition, we hosted our inaugural EMEA Partner Summit in Amsterdam.

What areas would you like to see your channel partners invest in in 2024?

When it comes to cybersecurity, customers need flexibility, support in deploying, and consultative guidance in planning for future innovation. In short, they need robust solutions.

Our ecosystem is shifting toward a consolidation of vendors and point solutions for a platform approach that brings into balance the full scope of security controls network, endpoint, cloud, application, IoT, and identity through a trusted ecosystem of cybersecurity partners.

Our ecosystem must invest in learning to stay on top of new technologies, like generative AI, and security capabilities which have significantly evolved as of late, such as SDR, Cloud, and SASE.

What are the biggest challenges facing your partners in 2024?

We are seeing a shift from traditional resell to managed security services, whereby our customers prefer to consume a service from a qualified provider rather than build the solution in-house. This creates a great opportunity for our partners to evolve.

Our partners are shifting to a services-led model that enables them to be trusted consultants, helping customers solve complex security problems all the way through deployment to lifecycle management.

We are proactively helping our partners with this transition, developing innovative ways to partner across all routes to market while driving clear differentiation into the market with joint solutions.

In what ways do you use your role to build equity and inclusion?

At Palo Alto Networks, inclusion and diversity (I&D) is our PULSE: Psychologically Safe, Understand, Listen, Support, and Elevate. As a leader here, it's my mission to build equity and inclusion by championing and supporting the programmes that create a culture and environment where our employees feel safe and secure to be their authentic selves at work.

Through strategic partnerships, we aim to create pathways into technology and cybersecurity for everyone, regardless of background. We also work with and contribute to cybersecurity education programs, strategic partnerships, and recruiting channels focused on attracting candidates with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and expertise.

Describe how your use of market development funds (MDF) is changing this year?

Getting ahead of tomorrow's cybersecurity threats requires a diverse and innovative team of problem solvers. We know that we still have some way to go and that one of the steps toward improving diversity is understanding and being transparent about where we are now.

Our journey requires focused effort and a measured, multi-year approach that will continuously evolve based on our progress and the need to adapt to changing societal conditions. The best way to build this in the channel is to lead by example and share our journey and progress publicly.

What are your biggest channel priorities in 2024?

Our key goals for 2024 include encouraging partners to sell a broader part of our portfolio, ramping up partner sales of a newly launched product/service. We are also looking to invest in enablement across all RTMS. Finally, a key priority is to leverage the outstanding talent in our partner organisations to deliver high-value services around our portfolio.