Asli Aktas’s journey in the channel began over 10 years ago and since then she has continued to grow in an environment marked by strategic mergers, acquisitions and spin-offs.
“I began my professional life at Cabletron Systems and worked in different positions in the networking services and training departments. Following the spin-off of Cabletron Systems into four divisions in 2000, I joined Aprisma, a network management solutions company, as an account manager and was soon promoted to channel director for EMEA, helping to achieve record growth. Aprisma was then acquired by Computer Associates (CA) where I lead the integration of the existing partner and customer base into the organisation and spear headed partner transition into the CA partner program. Following this, the former investor of Aprisma went on to acquire Enterasys where I was then asked to lead the channels as channel director, Central and Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific in addition to the Middle East,” she says.
Aktas is most passionate about engaging with people from different backgrounds in a bid to understand vibrant cultures and customs; this perhaps has helped her succeed in a competitive environment where constant communication and relationship building are key. Aktas enjoys the constant exchange of ideas with companies and teams and pays carefull attention to the impact of Enterasys’s strategy execution on the partner community.
She says, “Challenges bring positive things and I look at them as an opportunity for improvement—to help shape a new environment and learn from the benefits that others bring to the organisation. I had to understand very early in my career that the only constant is change and instead of resisting it, improving through change works a whole lot better.”
She adds that success motivates her and when measuring her success she considers even the most minute details and achievemnets. “Challenges and problems are part of our life and I like to be part of a solution and not part of a problem. People will always hear the truth from me whether they like it or not but they will know that they can rely on what I have said or promised and this I believe, will help me succeed,” Aktas says.
“Perfection is a continous process and everyday brings an oppurtunity to step up and be better than you were yesterday,” she concludes.
