Nortel hires former Express Data UC talent

Former Express Data unified communications specialist, Levi Sutherland, has joined Nortel as business manager for its Innovative Communications Alliance with Microsoft.

Sutherland replaces James Lind, who has been promoted to head up Nortel’s NSW business. In partnership with Nortel’s channel team, which is headed up by Neville James, Sutherland will be providing support, consulting and training services for the networking vendor’s UC channel partners.

“My first point of focus is to align myself closely with Microsoft and cement those relationships,” Sutherland said. “I’ll be consolidating strategic planning in the A/NZ region, and acting as a PR lead and spokesperson for UC.”

Part of the alliance with Microsoft will involve joint demonstrations, Sutherland said. “We held a customer event this week that was a joint demonstration/product roadmap. Microsoft’s software-centric approach to UC is important for us,” he said.

Sutherland bring 12 years’ IT industry experience to the role and has specialised unified communications channel experience from his time at Express Data and Allied Telesyn.

“When Nortel formed its alliance with Microsoft, I investigated and found it to be quite a compelling story, and the opportunity to be a part of it has come my way,” Sutherland said.