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Torjus Gylstorff
Global Partner Sales Leader
Torjus Gylstorff, recently named Symantec’s new Global Partner Sales leader, sat down with us to answer a few questions:
QUESTION:
Torjus, when you were asked to lead Symantec’s Global Partner Sales organization, what was your response—your very first reaction?
ANSWER:
My very first reaction was “Yes! Absolutely!” The combined Symantec and Blue Coat partner community is an incredibly strong force in the Cyber Security market. We have such a big opportunity in front of us, and building and maintaining the right partnerships is a key element in making customers successful.
QUESTION:
For someone who does not speak Danish, how do you say your first name?
ANSWER:
In English, the “j” sounds like an “i” so phonetically it sounds like TORE – EE – US.
QUESTION:
Your first 100 days. What do you hope to accomplish?
ANSWER:
The market we are in is moving at full speed, so we will continue to execute our day-to-day business as such. I will, however, spend a good portion of my first 100 days listening to our partners, understanding the expectations, the wishes, and where we can improve the experience of partnering with Symantec. We have a unique opportunity to get Symantec’s partner experience and ecosystem right. I will be traveling a lot in my first 100 days to meet partners personally so I can learn what we need to do. I was just in Tokyo at our Partner Engage event and met our partners from the APJ region. I am headed to London at the end of the month to attend our EMEA Partner Engage event. The conversations with partners have so far confirmed the opportunity we have together and the strength of our partner community. And yes – there are areas of required improvement, for which the work will begin immediately.
QUESTION:
Are you expecting all partners to be selling the entire Symantec portfolio?
ANSWER:
No, it’s not realistic and we’re not going to ask a partner who specializes in a particular market segment, like SMB, to suddenly sell into Enterprise, or vice versa. Nor will we ask a partner who is an expert in a particular technology or a particular vertical market area to suddenly change. In our market, customers want experts to help them. This expert knowledge can be understanding a particular technology or understanding the requirements of a specific market, etc. Both examples are equally valuable to the partnership.
As we look at our partner community, we are going to support partners focusing on their expertise, whether that’s a technical expertise, expertise in reaching a specific customer segment, or expertise in a particular vertical market. The key to success will be in the value delivered to the end customers.
QUESTION:
You live in San Francisco and you are a father in a combined family of four daughters. In addition you lead the largest global partner sales division, in terms of revenue and number of partners, for the largest security company in the world. How do you prevent yourself from going crazy?
ANSWER:
Well, it might sound like being a father in a family with four daughters could be challenging - and it is - but my family actually keeps me sane, and helps me put things in perspective. And as an additional benefit, dealing with teenagers keeps my negotiation skills sharp.
Like most people, I do have a safety valve. We are fortunate to live in San Francisco, with easy access to beautiful scenery. Taking my Harley Davidson for a cruise on Highway 1 with all the fantastic views of the California coastline and the Pacific Ocean is a great way to clear the mind and recharge.
QUESTION:
In your view – which are the top three elements in successful partnerships?
ANSWER:
First and foremost all good partnerships are based on commitment. This commitment is the foundation for everything else we do in the partnership – that being day-to-day execution or strategic planning. Secondly, building skills. Symantec is investing heavily in developing market leading Cyber Security solutions, when these products are matched with excellent skills, technical or go-to-market, we have a winning combination. Thirdly, we must always stay focused on customer satisfaction and customer success. All parts of our value chain should be justified by additional value or benefits to the end customer.
QUESTION:
Any final thoughts for the partner community?
ANSWER:
Only one: I am eager to learn and to ensure that we constantly seek to improve the way we do business. I want to hear from partners and get their feedback on how to develop this community so it thrives and grows. We are doing that in forums when we meet partners around the globe, and I appreciate if we can keep the dialogue going so we capture the best ideas and transform them into business.