Senior director of distribution, MSP and channel sales operations, as well as Ivana Abruzzese, senior channel marketing manager made the 2018 Women of the Channel list. For nearly a decade, Kaspersky Lab female executives have been honored for this award.
The executives who comprise the annual list span the IT channel, representing vendors, distributors, solution providers and other organizations that figure prominently in the channel ecosystem. Each year, females are recognized for their outstanding leadership, vision and unique role in driving channel growth and innovation.
Lessard is responsible for all aspects of B2B channel distribution, including alignment and execution of Kaspersky strategic objectives through marketing, operations and sales enablement. In the past year, she has built upon strong relationships across the channel and was instrumental in establishing a new advisory council to support the company across a variety of aspects of the business, including go-to-market and communications. She has also embraced new responsibilities, such as managing and building out processes to scale and support the company’s MSP program. This is Lessard’s second consecutive year earning the Women of the Channel achievement.
Additionally, Abruzzese delivers recruitment, sales enablement and partner development by creating and executing channel initiatives that align with Kaspersky Lab’s corporate strategy. Abruzzese’s efforts over the past year to create joint marketing plans have enabled partners to grow their own businesses and increase revenue streams. She demonstrates the company’s commitment to its partners by effectively increasing partner mindshare, providing the necessary resources to launch co-branded campaigns, and by delivering important sales assets in order to accelerate growth and increase partner reach internally and externally.
“This accomplished group of leaders is steadily guiding the IT channel into a prosperous new era of services-led business models and deep, strategic partnerships,” said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. “CRN’s 2018 Women of the Channel list honors executives who are driving channel progress through a number of achievements—exemplary partner programs, innovative product development and marketing, effective team-building, visionary leadership and accelerated sales growth—as well as advocacy for the next generation of women channel executives.”
“It is inspiring to see colleagues I proudly work side-by-side with honored by the channel industry for their dedication, leadership and hard work,” said Jason Stein, vice president of channel, Kaspersky Lab North America. “The contributions of Cecilia and Ivana play a strategic role in executing the company’s channel strategy from a global scale to a regional level. Their accomplishments in growing strong partnerships and successful campaigns for the North American business are exemplary and I look forward to what they will conquer next.”
CRN editors select the Women of the Channel honorees based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise and ongoing dedication to the IT channel.
