thebiginterview
“I am proud to be part of the EMEA senior leadership team, where my focus has been on growth of our product lines and the expansion of the UK and Ireland.”
Ann Keefe What have been the most significant achievements during your
tenure at Kingston? Aſter such a long time, it’s difficult to pick specific achievements, but building fantastic, long-term relationships is near the top. I started in field sales – now termed business development – which meant meeting, and working with, our partners, understanding what they needed from us, and delivering on our promises. I understood that this drive to deliver was part of Kingston’s DNA, and it has been part of my drive ever since. We have just launched our new ‘Build on Commitment’ identity, but a key achievement for me has been following through on that commitment over with partnerships that have created a solid foundation for Kingston’s business.
What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them? Te tech industry was predominantly male 29 years ago and there were fewer female business development managers at the time. However, it didn’t stop women like me from achieving success. Before Kingston I worked for Compaq and AST and had fantastic female role models who helped me set a path for my career. I didn’t consciously set out to fly the flag for women in tech, but I made the most of every opportunity and I’ve been proud to win awards and represent Kingston on numerous judging panels and forums. In 1995 Kingston only had DRAM, Branded memory, so
our offer was limited. We needed to expand our portfolio and negotiate the introduction of new lines and new partners. We’ve also gone through a whole evolution in how we work. I remember using floppy disks and huge upgrade manuals to help partners and driving to every meeting. Processes are leaner now, but the importance of human contact is the same. Tere have been some enormous challenges, including the 2009
financial crash. So many of our customers were in the financial sector and as they struggled to stay afloat, demand for our products fell away sharply. More recently we’ve had to contend with the pandemic. Experience helps in dealing with adversity and navigating the right route forward and trust between us and partners is the fundamental foundation.
How has Kingston’s relationship with channel partners evolved under your leadership? Te relationships I’ve built with our partners have led to lifelong
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friendships. Tis level of trust and commitment takes time to establish. If we make a promise to a partner, we keep it. Te shape of the channel is very different with consolidation
leading to some of our customers being acquired not just once but several times. Te partners that are successful are those that are efficient and prepared for what’s ahead. Right now, AI is a big factor. Embracing it, being prepared for it, and seeing the bigger picture will allow the channel to not only survive but thrive. I am proud to be part of the EMEA senior leadership team,
where my focus has been on growth of our product lines and the expansion of the UK and Ireland. We believe strongly in being present in the UK, so our region is still managed from our office in Sunbury-on-Tames, which is also where our main EMEA warehouse is located.
What advice would you give to Iwona as she takes on this role? Iwona is well prepared, but the most important aspect is maintaining and nurturing relationships with channel and vendor partners. Iwona will need to keep an open mind, feel free to experiment and maximise opportunities, which can come from the most unlikely places, customers and meetings. Being a regional director is a busy role, so she’ll need to look
aſter herself, ensure she is resilient and can be relied on. Mostly she must have fun and enjoy working for Kingston.
What are your future plans aſter leaving Kingston? I’ve never not worked, so my plan is to travel. I am getting a camper van and hitting the road!
Te final word comes from Bernd: “Despite our public commitment to the channel, one of Kingston’s core philosophies has always been ‘employees first’. We believe our customers are best served if our employees are committed to their job, accountable to customers and other stakeholders, reliable and empowered to make flexible, adaptable decisions, knowing Kingston has their back. Ann Keefe’s tenure of almost three decades is a great example of how this works: Her contributions and achievements are not simply measured in KPIs but are the result of her personal and very human touch in building rock solid relationships with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of channel partners, amongst others. At a moment of peak performance Ann is swapping her laptop and desk for a campervan and the open road, and I am happy for her.”
March/April 2025 | 13
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