Avaya has appointed Dean Baker as Strategic Services sales manager to drive services growth in South Africa and Sub-Saharan region.
According to the network and communication firm, as companies across the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region increase their focus on digital transformation initiatives, Baker will work closely with key channel partners and customers on their services strategies.
Baker will focus on improving channel efficiency and effectiveness, helping them to better align with Avaya’s go-to-market strategy, as well as engaging and managing client relationships at the executive level. He will also be responsible for strategic services for Avaya in South Africa, including maintenance and cloud operations services. He will report directly to Danny Drew, managing director, Avaya South Africa.
“I am really excited to join the Avaya team in Johannesburg, and look forward to working closely with our partners and customers to help them achieve their desired business outcomes,” said Baker. “Sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing major changes as digitisation becomes reality here and Avaya is perfectly positioned to help customers achieve their digital transformation goals.”
The appointment reflects Avaya’s continued transformation into a software-and-services-led organisation, delivering solutions and services tailored to the needs of regional customers. Digital transformation (DX) is topping the corporate agenda for CIOs in the region, with 70 percent of organisations in South Africa having embarked on DX plans, according to researcher International Data Corporation (IDC). Avaya’s client-tailored and outcomes-focused digital and smart services elevate businesses of every scale and accelerate growth through their digital journeys, helping to transform established organisations and to drive entrepreneurial ventures.
“Dean has served telecoms and service providers, enterprise clients, technology and services partners across multiple vertical industries and global geographies within the ICT sector spanning technology, business applications, integration, services, managed services and outsourcing,” said Drew. “He has a track record of building relationships by delivering an exceptional professional level of service which has resulted in a trusted advisory status in order to grow mutually beneficial, profitable and sustainable revenues.”
Baker has served multiple industries and geographies within the IT and Telecoms sector for more than 25 years. He has held a number of leadership and executive roles with global companies such as BT, Orange Business Services and Unisys.
