Jakub Jirsák - stock.adobe.com
Okta looking to expand GSI base
Security player keen to widen channel base and deepen its partner reach across the globe
One of Okta’s leading channel executives has outlined the priorities for the year ahead, with increasing system integrator activity and widening its geographic reach the top priorities.
It’s been a few months since Zair Abbas took up the role of vice-president of partners, channels and strategic alliances at Okta, with a view to bolstering the security player’s channel organisation.
In the short time since he arrived, there have been hires to add depth to the UK channel team, and a strategy for the year ahead has crystalised around expanding depth and reach.
“This year is all about ‘all in’ [with the channel] – we are 100% committed,” he said, adding that the CEO and chief revenue officer were also firmly behind the channel strategy.
“There is no compromise anymore,” said Abbas. “And we’re aligning internally, our comp plans and the way we structure our teams accordingly to ensure that we are very much a partner first – partner only, really – channel-driven, go-to-market.
“This year really is about growth through the channel,” he said. “But what does that actually mean? It means through embedding GSIs into our strategy.
“They’re out there, they’re figuring out AI [artificial intelligence] just like we are with our clients … so, it’s having that value proposition, and embedding our story, our AI pitch, with the GSIs.”
Global channel presence
As well as working more closely with the large system integrators, Okta is looking at increasing its global channel presence as a route to gaining growth.
“We’re looking at growth markets, and the Middle East is a huge investment for us,” said Abbas. “Central and Eastern Europe and southern Europe, Iberia, you’ve got certain markets within EMEA, that traditionally we’ve been opportunistic and not so been strategic with. This year, we’re really going to go all in.
“We’re onboarding partners, and I’m hiring people in those markets to actually help us execute and access those markets,” he added. “I’m doing that in EMEA. We’re doing that in APJ, and in Latin America, where we don’t have a strong presence today.”
The focus is clearly on expanding into fresh territories, but Okta is continuing to back the channel in its existing markets, including the UK.
“We’re investing heavily in the UK and our tier one markets, Germany and France,” said Abbas. “We’re really doubling down on our core markets. Take the UK specifically, the strategy really is around delivering focus within our ecosystem. We have a large, broad array of partners, and what we really want to try to do is hire more people and go deep into those partnerships.”
Commitment to the channel
He stressed that there was a solid commitment to the channel, and that as it expanded, it would be embedding partners at the core of the strategy.
Abbas emphasised that there is a significant opportunity for those across the channel that signed up with the vendor, with the need for innovative security tools continuing.
“AI security is identity security,” he said. “If you want to secure AI, and every company is building an AI strategy, you need to be secure – especially with virtual agents and agentic AI, your identity.
“80% of all threats, cyber attacks, are identity-based,” said Abbas. “It’s only going to grow as you embed more agentic AI into your organisation. If you’re missing that layer – the identity piece – you’re exposing yourself.”
