Shaista Ahmed, Director of Channel, OEM-Alliances & Distribution for Emerging Markets at Nutanix, is reshaping partner success in the Middle East by championing a thriving channel ecosystem aligned with the company’s global strategy—driving hybrid multicloud transformation and long-term customer value.
How would you describe Nutanix’s overall channel vision for the Middle East, and how is it aligned with the company’s global strategy?
Nutanix’s channel vision for the Middle East is centered on empowering partners to drive customer success through simplicity, innovation, and flexibility. We are committed to building a strong, profitable partner ecosystem based on trust, profitability, long-term commitment, and a product built for the future. We focus on providing a world-class enablement tailored to the region’s growth dynamics. Our strategy aligns seamlessly with Nutanix’s global vision of making hybrid multicloud simple and accessible, while giving partners the freedom to choose the right consumption models and OEM vendors. By combining local focus with global innovation, we enable our Middle East partners to accelerate growth, deliver differentiated value, and lead in a digital-first economy.
What makes Nutanix’s partner ecosystem unique in its ability to enable growth through simplicity and innovation?
Nutanix combines simplicity and innovation to fuel growth. Our platform removes silos by unifying compute, storage, networking, and cloud, enabling partners to deliver outcomes faster with less complexity. We empower partners through flexible business models, transparent programs, and industry-leading incentives that maximise profitability. With support for over 1,500 ISVs on AHV and the freedom to choose the OEM vendor that best fits customer preference, partners gain true agility. Backed by strong enablement, training, and support, our ecosystem allows partners to focus on accelerating growth and customer success—not managing complexity.” This is what makes us unique to the partner ecosystem.
How is Nutanix helping partners adapt to the growing demand for hybrid multicloud infrastructure and subscription-based models?
Nutanix helps partners adapt to the rising demand for hybrid multicloud infrastructure and subscription-based models through a combination of technology, programs, and strategic collaborations. Our single unified platform enables seamless management across on-premises, edge, and multiple public clouds, reducing complexity for customers. The subscription-based model allows partners to offer flexible, scalable solutions that align with customer needs. Through the Elevate Partner Program, partners gain training, certifications, and incentives to build expertise and grow their business. Strategic OEM and alliance partnerships with Dell, Cisco, HPE, and Lenovo further enable partners to deliver tailored, comprehensive solutions at scale.
Can you share some examples of successful collaborations with OEMs and alliances that have driven tangible business outcomes in the region?
Nutanix has established strategic partnerships with leading OEMs and alliances to strengthen its hybrid multicloud offerings. These collaborations enable partners to deliver more comprehensive and flexible solutions, giving them the freedom to tailor choices based on specific customer requirements. Over the past financial year, we have seen significant success through our collaborations with Dell, Cisco, HPE, and Lenovo, allowing us to address market demands on a larger scale.
What tools, incentives, or enablement programs does Nutanix offer to help partners drive profitability and long-term customer value?
Nutanix provides partners with a comprehensive suite of tools, incentives, and enablement programs designed to drive profitability and long-term customer value. The Elevate Partner Program is designed to support partners at every stage of their journey. It offers training, certifications, and incentives to help partners build expertise in hybrid multicloud solutions. Additionally, the program includes a referral component that rewards partners for their involvement throughout the customer engagement lifecycle, not just at the point of sale. Nutanix also offers sales and marketing tools, solution guides, and demo environments to accelerate go-to-market initiatives. Incentives include deal registration, referral rewards, and performance-based rebates to maximise profitability. Additionally, ongoing enablement programs, webinars, and workshops ensure partners stay current with product innovations, market trends, and subscription-based consumption models, helping them deliver sustained value to customers.
How does Nutanix ensure that simplicity in technology translates into ease of doing business for its partners?
At Nutanix, we believe simplicity in technology must translate into simplicity in business for our partners. By unifying storage, compute, networking, and cloud into a single platform, we remove the complexity that slows partners down. Flexible, subscription-based models make it easier to align with customer needs, while transparent partner programs and incentives ensure profitability without unnecessary hurdles. We also invest heavily in enablement, training, and world-class support, so partners can confidently deliver outcomes and scale faster. In short, Nutanix makes it easier for partners to innovate, grow, and focus on customer success instead of managing complexity.”
How are you supporting your channel and distribution partners in developing capabilities in key areas such as cloud, automation, and cybersecurity?
At Nutanix, innovative technology is at the heart of how I drive partner success and ecosystem growth. Nutanix’s pioneering hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) and hybrid multicloud platforms have fundamentally transformed how our partners deliver value to customers, offering simplicity, scalability, and cost efficiency.
We have leveraged these technologies to equip our partners with differentiated solutions that address real business challenges such as application modernisation, cloud adoption, and data center consolidation. Through Nutanix’s Prism for intelligent operations and Cloud Manager for cost governance and automation, partners can deliver proactive, outcome-driven services to customers across diverse industries.
Beyond core infrastructure, we have embraced automation and data-driven tools to optimise partner engagement. We use partner analytics platforms to track performance, pipeline velocity, and customer success metrics, enabling smarter joint planning and execution. This tech-enabled approach ensures we scale efficiently and maintain high impact across a large ecosystem.
Additionally, digital enablement tools like Nutanix University and the partner portal allow us to rapidly upskill and certify teams across regions, regardless of location. By combining Nutanix’s cutting-edge solutions with a tech-enabled partner strategy, we’ve accelerated innovation, improved customer outcomes, and empowered partners to lead in an increasingly digital, multicloud world.
In a competitive partner landscape, how does Nutanix ensure differentiation and loyalty among its regional partners?
To succeed in today’s competitive market, channel partners should focus on differentiation by offering value beyond the product, delivering bundled, outcome-based solutions that solve customer challenges. Build trust and alignment with vendors and alliances through joint growth plans. Embrace agility to adapt quickly to market changes and evolving customer needs. Prioritise customer success by driving adoption, expansion, and renewal for long-term value. Leverage digital tools, automation, and data insights to target the right opportunities and enhance the buyer journey. Invest in skills, marketing, and solution expertise to remain relevant, competitive, and positioned as a trusted advisor in the hybrid multi-cloud environment.
Nutanix has been channel-first from day one, and we have built our ecosystem on four pillars: Trust, Profitability, Product, and a Long-Term commitment to ensure partner loyalty.
What are your strategic priorities over the next 12–18 months for expanding the partner ecosystem in the Middle East and unlocking new market opportunities?
Our strategic vision for the channel is to build strong partnerships and loyalty with existing partners, ensuring they remain profitable and view us as a strategic vendor in their business. We are also focused on onboarding high-potential partners and MSPs in the region, providing flexibility to customers and ensuring ease of doing business tailored to local market requirements. Key initiatives include enhanced enablement, training, and certification programs, as well as flexible solutions and subscription models. Additionally, we leverage strategic OEM and alliance partnerships and incentivise partners through deal registration, referral rewards, and performance programs to drive long-term profitability and customer value.
