Arun Balasubramaniam
Sales, Channel Management, Alliances
Bengaluru,TG
Summary
An astute professional with 23+ years of experience in sales, sales management, executive customer connection, and relationship management with industry leaders across software and technology companies. Currently, I am managing the alliances for AWS. I manage PwC and Capgemini. A keen planner and implementer with deftness in effectuating strategies, driving teams to ensure successful management of sales operations in the assigned region. Proficient in managing business operations, people management, customer relationships, partner management, market development, and analysis. Track record of attaining consistent yearly growth, both in terms of sales and revenues. An impressive communicator with honed interpersonal, team-building, negotiation, presentation, convincing, and analytical skills.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Partner Development Manager – Alliances – PwC & CapGemini
Amazon Web Services
Bangalore
03.2025 - Current
- Responsible for the AWS alliance business with PwC and CapGemini.
- Analyzed market trends to identify new business opportunities and partnerships.
- Solution Co-Build and Innovation Momentum – Co-Built four joint solutions with PwC on the AWS platform.
- Built strong momentum on the SAP and SAP++ motion with PwC.
- Drove active pursuits across key accounts in Mfg, FS, Retail, PS, and GCC.
- Established high-value connections in PwC and CapG across various sectors/competencies.
- Ran multi-city workshops on modernization, funding mechanisms, and GTM motions.
Country Head – Channels – India/South Asia
IBM India Private Limited
Bangalore
06.2021 - 02.2025
- Responsible for Partner and VAD GTM, Capacity planning and Competitive Strategy
- Expanded and nurtured a network of distributors and partners across the ISA region resulting in a qualitative funnel increase of 55%
- Successfully launched IBM’s Integration solutions in multiple regions across ISA, generating new business opportunities upwards of 3.4 Mill USD for the fiscal
- Spearheaded sales initiatives and achieved demonstrable success in partnering with multiple Distributors and VARs across the India/South Asia Region
- Cultivated and maintained strong relationships with key decision-makers at partner and VAD organizations, ensuring alignment with IBM’s Strategic Goals
- Developed and delivered compelling sales presentations and training to partners and VAD’s effectively communicating IBM’s value proposition.
Manager Global Alliances
Dell Technologies Limited
Bangalore
03.2018 - 08.2020
- Consistent growth of sales revenues with strong execution plans, across industry verticals.
- Created joint offerings/Solution Development on BaaS and Cyber Recovery with Wipro, Cognizant, and Tech M
- Conceptualized a joint GTM Strategy for launch of CRaaS with Wipro, Cognizant, and Tech M
- Won many transformational projects across the World from FSI, retail, Media, and Mfg.
- Strategic Business plans for respective target markets – AMER, EMEA, APJ
- Co-selling with the GSIs to close sales opportunities and interacting with direct sales teams on the Partner engagement model.
- Strategize/coordinate with field marketing on design and execution of marketing programs/events/campaigns to create interest and awareness among partners’ customers.
- Collaborate and drive system engineers, sales Program, channel sales Program and marketing team to build various promotions across Industry to drive the Data Protection Solutions Business
- Developed and implemented effective sales strategies and tactics, aligning channel efforts with company-wide objectives.
Country Manager
ShoreTel India Limited
Bangalore
07.2015 - 10.2017
- Delivered over 200% growth in revenues and attained the best ever result for Shoretel India inspite of the USD growing by over 20% in the 3 yrs and with over 30% less Head count.
- Built a consistently high performing team, with a clear strategy & direction to drive sales
- Collaborate with cross teams across functions & lead from the front to exceed goals across every metric
- Improved the partner eco system from 4 – 9 partners in a span of 12 months. Added Ingram Micro as the second distributor for the India Business
- Provided leadership & mentoring to sales & channel teams in driving various campaigns to expand coverage & recruit partners to build a leverage model. Also helped the Account teams in increasing customer base.
- Added over 60+ net new enterprise customers YOY across all verticals namely ITES, BFSI, Manufacturing, Education.
- India was the only region worldwide accounting for over 80% of its business coming from net new customers where in the worldwide the ratio was only 15%.
- Retain, Hire, motivate a team of 14 employees for managing Sales, Presales, marketing, Support, consulting and operations.
- Recipient of the prestigious Presidents club for 2 years in a row.
Country Head – IBM Cloud – India South Asia
IBM India Private Limited
Bangalore
08.2011 - 07.2015
- Launched the IBM SaaS in India and grew the business from 0-$3.5Mill ARR in 4 years.
- Awarded the prestigious Sales eminence award in FY 12 for the fastest growth in the Cloud business in IBM Worldwide.
- Built the Smart Cloud business to a success story. Revamped pricing strategy, implemented effective promotional strategies, trained a high-performance sales team and helped boost corporate image and Sales.
- Set up the partner and the distributor ecosystem from scratch.
- YOY increase in business of 260% in 2012, 230% in 2013.
- Increased active Funnel for the cloud business to 9X and through partner to 11X.
- Large Wins and Muthoot Finance, Shriram Transport Finance, Narayana Hrudayalaya hospitals etc. (Some of the largest Cloud implementations across IBM Worldwide).
- Improved the partner eco system from 4 – 29 partners in a span of 12 months.
SR. LICENSING SALES SPECIALIST – South 1 Region
Microsoft Corporation (India) PVT LTD
06.2009 - 07.2011
- Lead annuity-based sales business for the Corporate Accounts segment for South India.
- Lead all customer negotiations with senior management to maximize Microsoft revenue & ensure customer satisfaction.
- Being a subject matter expert in Microsoft Licensing, Structured large Cloud deals in MS India.
- Actively led solution selling business for the region which led to 100% growth in upsell business to annuity customers.
- Subject Matter expert on all Microsoft Licensing types and suggest right licensing for right customer.
Account Manager – South 1 Region (KA and KL)
Microsoft Corporation (India) PVT LTD
07.2006 - 06.2009
- Coveted with the prestigious Yellow Jersey Award for the fiscal year ending FY 08.
- Awarded the “Rookie of the year “award in the first year of joining Microsoft.
- Grown revenue from $3.5 mill in fiscal FY 07 to $7.5 mill in FY 08.
- Billed above 95% of the accounts in the assigned territory.
- Focused on customer satisfaction resulted in NSAT score of 160 points which was one of the best ratings in the country.
- Focused on long term customer relationship, helped achieve 68% annuity mix in the territory.
- Mentored the Partner Account Managers to identify & drive channel partners revenue.
- Million Dollar Deals at GMR, Infinite, Cambridge, Macmillan, Excelsoft etc.
- Going the extra mile and managing partner Conflicts and margins.
- Highest number of EA's in single year (19 EAs) in the country in Midmarket segment.
Business Manager
SAP India (India) PVT LTD
03.2006 - 07.2006
SMB Sales Manager
Trend Micro (India) Pvt Ltd
02.2005 - 03.2006
Product Manager
Redington India Limited
03.2002 - 02.2005
Education
PGDBM - Marketing
Bachelor of Commerce -
Skills
- Cloud solutions
- Channel and Alliances Management
- GTM strategy
- Revenue growth
- Negotiation strategies
- Customer relationship management
- Problem solving
Timeline
Partner Development Manager – Alliances – PwC & CapGemini
Amazon Web Services
03.2025 - Current
Country Head – Channels – India/South Asia
IBM India Private Limited
06.2021 - 02.2025
Manager Global Alliances
Dell Technologies Limited
03.2018 - 08.2020
Country Manager
ShoreTel India Limited
07.2015 - 10.2017
Country Head – IBM Cloud – India South Asia
IBM India Private Limited
08.2011 - 07.2015
SR. LICENSING SALES SPECIALIST – South 1 Region
Microsoft Corporation (India) PVT LTD
06.2009 - 07.2011
Account Manager – South 1 Region (KA and KL)
Microsoft Corporation (India) PVT LTD
07.2006 - 06.2009
Business Manager
SAP India (India) PVT LTD
03.2006 - 07.2006
SMB Sales Manager
Trend Micro (India) Pvt Ltd
02.2005 - 03.2006
Product Manager
Redington India Limited
03.2002 - 02.2005