Informatica is a big company that you may not have heard of unless you are well into big data, but with subscription revenues growth figures of 44% in its last reported figures (Q2 2015), it is raising its profile.
Steve Murphy is the newly appointed VP for EMEA and is looking forward to continuing growth especially now that globally, some 40% of its business is with partners, and this is likely to be higher in EMEA. "I am relying on partners - they are the fastest way to get coverage in EMEA." and he promises to be flexible on partnerships, especially in the emerging markets where traditional roles are less well established. The company now has some 40% of its business "fulfilled by partners"; this has risen from 20% two years ago.
His channels are likely to include systems integrators, service providers, large ISVs, managed services businesses as well as more traditional channels as he predicts that enterprises are going to struggle with big data going forward. "Data is poorly understood, and many will find themselves out of their depths and looking for help," he says. As well as the usual big data targets - financial services and telcos, he can see potential in healthcare, retail and the parts distribution business.
There is a an accelerating pace of change in big data, he tells IT Europa, one that Informatica can only keep up with through its channels. And now that it is a private company, backed by Salesforce.com and Microsoft, it is in a position to do something strategic for the first time. "It really does make a difference, he says. And of course, the two powerful brands and their channels can also help him drive into particular markets, although he is also interested in the "more boutique-y" sort of partner who is a specialist in a particular area or technology.
But he also knows that he has to play the EMEA market differently from the way Informatica has worked in the US: " As well as culture and language, there is a different attitude to data." And he has to get the Informatica name out in front of his potential partners, so expect to see more announcements and events.