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Oracle logo at the Oracle headquarters.

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In the day since Oracle announced it would hire HP ex-CEO Mark Hurd to serve as president, replacing Charles Phillips, plenty has been written about just what Hurd brings to the table for Oracle. For instance, Oracle now has an executive that has led a multi-billion dollar business. It now has an executive with experience selling high-end computer hardware, something Oracle needs since its acquisition of Sun Microsystems last year. Plus, it has an executive who knows how to fight competitors such as IBM.

But it gets something else, too – an executive has been regarded with respect and appreciation by IT solution providers.  That could be a trump card for Oracle as it looks to expand its reach.

Oracle has never been considered the most channel-friendly of technology vendors. But Mark Hurd adds a senior executive who is considered a great champion and friend of the channel. If Oracle is also interested in fortifying its reputation with the channel, it couldn’t have hired a better executive as president.

Consider what IT solution provider Denali’s executive vice president John Convery says about Oracle’s hiring of Hurd:

“His leadership spoke for itself. As a friend of the channel and executive leader in the IT business, I’m excited that he’s landed. With some of their existing challenges with the channel it’s a win for Oracle.”

Denali is a big HP channel partner and Convery’s has leveraged the HP visiting executive program with Mark Hurd paying visits to Denali’s customer events. And while Convery says that HP hasn’t skipped a beat in terms of its channel program since Hurd’s departure, Hurd’s presence at Oracle will only help that company.

Oracle has been courting Denali, he says. And while Denali wouldn’t consider dumping HP, even for a second, Hurd’s presence at Oracle would make it more likely for Denali to sign on with the software company turned software and hardware company.

“I would certainly think I’d be more likely to be an Oracle partner,” says Convery. “Mark certainly understands the reach of the channel in terms of driving growth.”

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