It has been quite a journey, from technical, to presales, to business development and management with key milestones and achievements that really made what I am today. 

I started my career as a technical consultant for Linux, Open Source and Microsoft systems that capable to implement and integrate heterogeneous environments with no ambitions for business management :), then business grow bigger, team grow bigger and I got invovled in managing business for security products in North East Africa and manage quite a revenue and an excellent team, then moved to Dubai to lead the distribution of one of the leading security products in Middle East and Africa and since then my key expertise is to develop and drive and manage business for InfoSec productsion, solutions and services across a diverse and interesting region like Middle East and Africa.

Here's briefly the key milestones in my career, with employers that I was like to enjoy working for and have the passion to achieve success and make an outstanding journey with each one of them:

 

IBM Security

Title
Manager, Threat Management - MEA (Jan 2019 till present)
  MEA Region Leader – IBM Resilient  (Oct 2016 till end of 2018)
Responsibilities  
  • Develop the business for IBM Security Threat Management in MEA, leading sales, business development, marketing, channel and presales operations in the region.
  • Develop business plans, strategy and GTM, manage targets and keep tracking of performance.
  • Manage 10 key strategic accounts personally, manage and track aligned accounts with IBM Sellers.
  • Build and manage channel partners through specialization and categorization.
  • Manage enablement across the region for business partners, IBM Sellers and IBM Presales teams.
  • Responsible for alignment with IBM other functions in MEA, this including aligned accounts, manage opportunities with GTS and Software Groups, enablement, forecasts…etc.
  • Manage marketing budgets, planning and activities whether it’s IBM ThreatMgmt ONLY or co-joint with the overall IBM Security and Business Partners.
  • Pipelines, forecasts, achievements, conversation rates, sales analysis and QBRs (Internal and Channel).
  • Flying over 60% of my time to focused countries (KSA, UAE, Qatar, KW, Oman, S-Africa, Kenya, EG, Jordan and Lebanon).
Achievements  
  • The Most New Logos – Globally,
  • The Highest Growth of Security Product in MEA
  • Booking all firsts in MEA, 4 orders in first quarter and 17 orders in 2017.
  • First orders in UAE, KSA, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Pakistan, Oman, Kuwait and South Africa.
  • Leading global number of new business orders / region, 6 of those in my personally managed key strategic accounts.

 

Kaspersky

Title Director, Sales and Business Development - MEA  (Oct 2016 till end of 2018)
Period Nov 2013, till Oct, 2016. Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  (Oct 2016 till end of 2018)
Responsibilities  
  • Develop the business for Kaspersky Lab’s new enterprise security portfolio in MEA and leading sales, BizDev, marketing, channel and presales operations in the region, this includes Security Intelligence Services, Anti-Fraud, Industrial Cyber Security, DDOS Protection, Anti-APT and others;
  • Develop business plans, quarterly targets and keep tracking of performance through KPIs.
  • Build a structured team across ME with local presence in the key focused countries.
  • From mid-2014 and till Sept2016, became responsible for all B2B business lines not only enterprise.
  • Budgeting, and its distribution to sub-regions and different business lines to meet strategy and GTM.
  • Pipelines, forecasts, achievements, conversation rates, sales analysis and QBRs (Internal and Channel).
  • An active participant in all global development workshops for all enterprise portfolio roadmaps, marketing, pricing and licensing schemas and technical support.
  • Flying over 60% of my time to focused countries (KSA, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt).
  • Implement distribution and CAM Plans that suitable for enterprise security products and partners.
  • Building a channel enablement program for enrolling and onboarding the enterprise security partners.
  • Co-Joint activities with customers, partners and strategic technology alliances for marketing and business development.
Achievements  
 
  • Won “Kaspersky Lab Best Newcomer for 2014” an individual global award,
  • Built a team of 7 professionals in one month, then grow this team to 21 members over 2 years with local presence in all focused countries.
  • 35% YoY Growth “Average 12%”, highest global revenue for new enterprise portfolio.
  • Sold personally first global deals for Threat Intelligence, Fraud Prevention, DDOS Protection, Industrial Cyber Security and highest endpoint deal in the region for a leading bank.
  • 2 public case studies with 2 major banks in Saudi Arabia.
  • Achieved 43% YoY growth for SMB and Endpoint “Average 6%-12%”.

 

Computerlinks/Arrow Middle East

Title Regional Sales Manager - Middle East and Africa
Position September 2011, till October 2013. Dubai – United Arab Emirates.
Responsibilities  
  • Manage RSA Enterprise Security Portfolio and business development activities in Middle East and Africa, portfolio includes “2FA, RBA, SIEM, DLP, Network Forensics and Analysis, eGRC”.
  • Leading a team of highly skilled 6 professionals for sales, presales and operations activities.
  • Flying over 50% to focused countries for business development activities, countries included Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Kenya and Kuwait.
  • Implementing a new distribution model and CAM plan, included increasing number of recruited partners' across the region, and develop, enable and drive business through 3 focused partners / country.
  • Instruct the official curriculum for RSA Sales Professional Workshops for Authentication and Security Management, I am the only official trainer for Middle East and Africa.
  • Co-joint activities with channel including co-join customers' visits, marketings activities, business planning and accounts' mapping.
  • Develop business plans and targets on quarterly and yearly basis for the team.
  • Breakdown all business lines and processes into deep details for better business view and planning, including renewals, incremental, fulfillment business types breakdown / country / region / partners' classifications / product / campaigns ..etc
  • Manage pipeline and forecast reviews internally, with partners and vendor, keeping track of pipeline conversion rate and analyze weaknesses and strengths to act on them.
  • Provide KPI reports for top management on monthly / quarterly and yearly basis.
  • Develop internal business processes through templates, sheets, and standardized actions.
  • Manage pilots/POCs for RSA products to new enterprise prospects.
  • Manage professional services' projects for strategic customers.
  • Participate in marketing activities' planning, develop incentives programs, implement and manage activities and campaigns.
Achievements  
  • Distributor of the Year for EMEA Award, for the first time ever for my employer.
  • Permanent over-achiever for assigned targets internally and with RSA.
  • Build a powerful channel of focused partners across the regions.

ValueSYS for Information Technology

Title Sales and Presales Manager - North Africa
Position March, 2008 till August, 2011
Responsibilities  
  • Manage Kaspersky Lab sales and business development activities in North East Africa (Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Eritrea and Mauritania).
  • Manage Tripwire Enterprise and Log Management in Egypt (SEIM Solution).
  • Present, demonstrate & sell security products for enterprises.
  • Create and manage presales processes, teams and activities.
  • Manage technical projects for Security Solutions/Products for enterprises.
  • Develop business plans and targets on quarterly and yearly basis.
  • Work, develop and manage channels and partner programs.
  • Tenders preparation, specifications writing and tender practicing.
  • Manage pilots/POCs for security products to new enterprise prospects.
  • Provide KPI reports for top management.
  • Participate in marketing activities planning for ValueSYS products.
  • A permanent speaker in ValueSYS seminars and events.
Achievements  
 
  • Permanent over-achiever for targets on personal level and team level and achieving growth of +40% on yearly basis for managed products.
  • Built a highly qualified team of 8 Sales/Presales engineers that manage NEA.
  • various awards for me, my team and my managed products.

ValueSYS for Information Technology

Title Product Manager - North East Africa
Position September, 2006 till March, 2008
Responsibilities  
 
  • Manage Kaspersky Lab products sales activities in Egypt.
  • Present, demonstrate and sell ValueSYS Security and Infrastructure products.
  • Provide BU Monthly/quarterly/yearly performance reports.
  • Build and train a qualified presales team for Kaspersky Anti-virus products.
  • Tenders preparation, specifications writing and tender practicing.
  • Coordinate technical projects through planning, scheduling and monitoring tasks delivery and staff performance.
  • Provide and manage pilots/POCs for security products to new prospects.
  • Handle partners/channels requests and orders.
  • Write technical documents and white papers for projects & solutions.
  • A permanent speaker in ValueSYS seminars and events.
  • Periodically, Instruct Linux/Tripwire/Kaspersky products curriculum

ValueSYS for Information Technology

Title Technical Consultant
Position March, 2005 till September, 2006
Responsibilities  
  • Provide features and comparatives presentations to enterprise customers.
  • Provide professional support services for Linux/OSS to Enterprise Customers.
  • Demonstrate Linux/OSS/Novell Products during pilots and pre-sales activities.
  • Instructing official curriculum for Linux/OSS/Novell/Oracle products.
  • Write Technical documents and white papers for projects & solutions

Space-Tech for Web Hosting Solutions

Title System Administrator
Position June, 2004 to March, 2005
Responsibilities  
  • Handle Virtual Domains through infrastructure services.
  • Apache, DNS, PHP, MySQL, PureFTP, Cpanel and others.
  • System monitoring, Troubleshooting and harden.
  • Plan, design, implement and maintain company's official web site.

Computer Center for Computer and Internet Services

Title Technical Support Engineer
Position September, 1998 to April, 2003
Responsibilities  
  • Network Installation and Administration.
  • Peer-Peer and LANs.
  • Software Installation and Maintenance.
  • Hardware Installation and Maintenance.
  • Design and implement company's official web site

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Ashraf's Biography