VMware Accelerates Partner Transformation and Growth with New Partner Connect Program

Program delivers enhanced flexibility for closer alignment and deeper integration of technical and service capabilities to help businesses better navigate IT complexities

Plans to integrate Carbon Black,VeloCloud and Pivotal programs into VMware Partner Connect

SINGAPORE,March 2,2020 -- VMware,Inc. (NYSE: VMW),a leading innovator in enterprise software,today launched VMware Partner Connect,the new,dramatically simplified and flexible program designed to enable partners to do business with VMware in a way that aligns to their business models under a single unified contract. VMware Partner Connect empowers partners with flexibility to meet customer needs,making VMware technologies and services opportunities more accessible. Partners now have an enhanced experience that delivers simplicity,choice and innovation,while recognizing and rewarding partners based on the value they bring to customers.

With digital technologies projected to hit US$625 billion-- 8 per cent of ASEAN's GDP by 2030[1]-- organizations in the region are accelerating their digital transformation journeys,challenging partners to evolve alongside their business needs to support the next chapters of their growth. Partners are now expected to deliver more value to their customers,moving beyond the traditional transactional approach to serve as trusted advisors to businesses undergoing digital transformation. This represents an unprecedented opportunity for partners in the region to align their business models in accordance to the evolving priorities of their customers',providing a clear path towards better business outcomes.

"VMware Partner Connect reimagines the way we do business with and for our partners,helping them drive differentiated customer success and digital transformation," said Jenni Flinders,Worldwide Channel Chief,VMware. "We designed Partner Connect with our customers in mind,and the idea that they should feel confident when choosing to go with a VMware partner. And this is just the beginning,as Partner Connect continues to evolve to deliver new and better ways for our partners to grow their businesses."

VMware Partner Connect now offers three tiers: Partner,Advanced Partner,and Principal Partner. Hundreds of partners have been designated Principal Partners at today's launch. These partners help customers identify and implement ideal VMware solutions,as evidenced by achievement of Master Services Competencies across different strategic IT priorities. These Principal Partners also earn comprehensive rewards including deployment and consumption incentives and prioritization for collaborative business planning and co-selling opportunities with VMware.

"Customers in Asia Pacific want to build lasting partner relationships to enable their software investment to add as much value to their businesses as possible. Partner Connect combines our expertise with exceptional partner capabilities to help customer digital transformation projects maximize their potential," said Uma Thana Balasingam,VP & Channel Chief,Asia Pacific & Japan,VMware. "There is so much optimism and growth in the region,and with this new program we are helping to future proof our partners so that they can continue to elevate their trusted advisor status with their customers."

Across Southeast Asia and Korea,IT decision makers are challenging partners to move faster in order to realise growth ambitions and address heightened end-user demands. Partners must be able to keep ahead of technology advances by deepening their technical and services competencies.

"It is fantastic that VMware built Partner Connect together with its partners,resulting in a program that allows us to meet diverse customer requirements via a single pane of glass view. The streamlined approach gives us complete understanding about where we stand while simultaneously empowering us to focus on end-to-end delivery of our clients' business goals," said John Lombard,Asia Pacific CEO for NTT Ltd. "We are excited to move in step with VMware as we provide data-driven secure solutions,consulting,and managed services to our clients,and look forward to future joint R&D initiatives."

"When VMware announced its Partner Connect program,we couldn't have been more excited. To start with,the program has been designed based on feedback received from the partner community. Secondly it has simplified the engagement process with VMware as there isonly one agreement,and finally the program rewards us to deliver the solutions that our end-customers find value in," said Rajesh Mathkar,Founder and Director,Wysetek Systems Technologists Pvt. Ltd.

Starting today,VMware partner can find support,resources and education at https://www.vmware.com/go/partner-connect. Enhancements include:

an Incentives and Development Funds portal,which provides enhanced dashboards and improved visibility for partners to track their activity with VMware,

a new VMware Learning Zone,which provides a wide variety of content,including the ability to customize learnings plans based on individual partner preferences,and

an overall improved partner experience.

Partner Connect will continue to evolve based on industry changes,changes in customer buying behaviors,and to support emerging partner business models. In the months ahead,VMware plans to integrate partner programs from new VMware products,including VeloCloud and recently acquired VMware businesses VMware Carbon Black and Pivotal.

[1] Masterplan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025

Support for VMware Partner Connect from Principal Partners

Australia

"Partner Connect encourages us to focus on our strategic priorities by simplifying the engagement model with VMware. We can now focus our time on what's most important-- delivering outcomes for our joint customers. The program unifies the customer journey,meaning we can support our customers throughout the entire IT lifecycle. The investment VMware makes in its partners is deep,going well beyond financial investment to actively help us up-level our capabilities. We're excited about the potential for further collaboration as we develop new products and services around VMware technology," said Harry Kassianou,Director of Sales,AC3.

Mainland China

"Today,VMware provides a wide range of solutions to help customers drive business transformation. Thanks to Partner Connect,we now have a path to achieve technical mastery certifications that will drive customer success as well as more predictable returns on investment within the partner ecosystem. Beijing Xiatong HongZhi Technology will continue to invest and commit to strengthen our partnership with VMware for 2020 and beyond," said Chunyan Zhang,Director,Beijing Xiatong HongZhi Technology Co.,Ltd.

Hong Kong

"VMware Partner Connect helps differentiate partners' strengths by allowing them to focus on what they do best. Now customers have the ability to select the most capable partner of their choice," said Calvin Lam,Co-Founder & Executive Director,Masterson Technology Ltd.

India

"We are excited about VMware Partner Connect. It has always been a pleasure to work with VMware and with this new program,our relationship and joint go-to-market strategy will get stronger.We believe VMware has innovated the way we work with them offering us newfound flexibility and simplicity while fostering new co-selling and consumption opportunities.A win-win for all of us," said Anuj Gupta,Chief Executive Officer,Hitachi Systems Microclinic Pvt. Ltd.

"VMware's New Partner Connect program makes it simple for us.The program gives us the flexibility to pick and choose what we want to offer our end-customers and we are rewarded by how we bring value to our customers. Aside from being simple and flexible,it is also innovative," said Deepak Jadhav,VDA Infosolutions Pvt. Ltd.

Korea

"Partner Connect will be a driving force for our partnership with VMware. Through this new program,I look forward to growing our potential to co-invest and co-sell with VMware,and thus creating more joint business opportunities," said Kwon Yong-Chan,Knowledge Design Infra Services Co.,Ltd.

Additional Resources

Register for today's Partner Connect Virtual Event to learn more: https://www.vmware.com/partner-connect-live-geo.html

VMware EMPOWER,VMware's elite partner training event:

Dallas,April 20-23: https://www.vmware.com/content/microsites/empower/empower-us.html

Lisbon,April 27-30: https://www.vmware.com/content/microsites/empower-europe/home.html

Asia: https://www.vmware.com/content/microsites/empower-asia/en.html

Follow @VMware_Partners on Twitter: https://twitter.com/VMware_Partners

About VMware

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VMware,Carbon Black,Pivotal,VeloCloud,and VMware EMPOWER are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware,Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions.