McAfee Canada recruits Ross Allen to boost sales 18%

McAfee Inc. has brought in new leadership for its Canadian operations to increase sales and its penetration in the business market. The company announced on March 18 that it appointed Ross Allen to head the Canadian unit. It's a reunion of sorts for Allen, whose official title is Canadian general manager for McAfee. Allen was the Canadian country manager at EMC Corp. under current McAfee president and CEO Dave DeWalt where he helped the information storage company double sales in Canada. Jokingly, Allen notes that Dewalt will expect a doubling of Canadian sales. However a more realistic target of 18% growth has been set as an initial goal. But before the company starts knocking on doors, Allen says he will need to know how the company fares in the Canadian market. "I've commissioned a study what our penetration rates are and the percentage of market share," Allen says. Once that data are in, he will have a better picture of what needs to be done to generate 18% growth in sales. There are other issues Allen will have to address as McAfee Canada pursues its growth strategy. One is explaining to the US corporate headquarters the mass and differences of the Canadian market and that comparing it to the US is difficult. He notes that in the US two people in New York City can be involved in channel sales whereas in Canada, three are required. "You need one guy in Central, one in the West because don't want to talk to anybody in Toronto and you need one in Quebec," he explains. Another priority is putting in the infrastructure to deal with the particularities of the Canadian market. He relates the story of a person driving in a snow storm to meet a McAfee representative to ask three questions. "He showed up at McAfee Canadian headquarters, wanted answers and I was the only one there. That probably wouldn't happen in the US," he tells Network Letter. "So I regularly have to field those calls because that's just the way it is." Allen has the pedigree to take McAfee to the next level. In addition to doubling the Canadian business at EMC as well as sales at its telco division in the Southeast US, he helped turn struggling SHL Systemhouse around. As he recalls being told upon leaving IBM Canada Ltd. for SHL, "the patient has got a little problem. When I got there, it had ‘cardiacked'on the table." This is what Allen believes to be his strength - looking at a business and determining the right approach to get to critical mass in a profitable manner. "It's easy to give away the business, but you've got with profitability," he says. But it won't be business as usual for the security company. Allen explains that traditional models for US multinationals with Canadian operations has been to include Canadian sales with a segment of US sales, noting that Canada usually gets lumped in with Northeastern or Central US. Under his leadership, there will be a new structure with Allen reporting directly to Joe Sexton, senior VP of North American sales. This, Allen says, "gives our issues a lot of traction." Plus he has the ear of top McAfee dog Dewalt, so that should go a long way.

McAfee Canada recruits Ross Allen to boost sales 18%

News | March 25, 2008

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