Mar/Apr 19 - ChannelVision Magazine

Apart from owning the largest and most-resilient subsea network in the Asia-Pacific, Telstra recently made several investments in additional trans-Pacific capacity that will signifi- cantly expand its position in connect- ing the U.S. to Asia. Today, Telstra has offices in five major U.S. cities including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Seattle – as well as a dedicated indirect channel team. We spoke with Telstra’s president of Americas Nicholas Collins to find out more about the company’s growth plans, its latest investments and its indirect channel strategy. Channel Vision: It’s been nearly a year since you took over as presi- dent of the Americas. What excites you most about your job at Telstra? Nicholas Collins: I’ve been with Telstra for 20 years and had an amaz- ing opportunity to work across four continents, the last six years based in Hong Kong and Singapore. I am excited to join such an accomplished and connected team in the U.S. This region is strategically important to Telstra, given that the U.S. is the global hub for capital, commerce and innovation. Telstra is a market leader with a clear focus on connecting U.S. companies to Asia, and I believe there is more opportunity in this market now than any time in the past 25 years that we have been in the region. The importance of the Asia-Pacific markets to U.S. headquartered firms continues to drive Telstra’s growth in this region. The growth we are seeing is not just big-business; we are work- ing with companies of all sizes and across many industries to gain access or expand within Asia, in particular key markets like mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. The best part of my day is when I am talking with customers. My role gives me the privilege of talking with business leaders across a broad spec- trum of industries and size of business. Driving a great customer experience is very important to us, but at the same time we value partnerships with agents who are key to our success. I have really enjoyed spending time with agents across the U.S. and continue to be impressed by the energy, focus and depth of relationships they have with their customers. I look forward to continuing to learn about how we can further build on our well-established channel program to strengthen our agent relationships and grow together. CV: What have you been focusing on since you started this new role? NC: My role covers the full breadth of our business in this region, including enter- prise direct, wholesale and government sectors. Channel partners have been a key driver of our growth in the U.S., so part of my focus is dedicated to strengthening our channel strategy and our positioning as a trusted partner. Since taking on the role, I’ve been working with our team to take a fresh look at how we can better connect agents and their customers to new op- portunities in Asia. As a team, we will tighten our focus, set clear priorities for our business across the region, and sim- plify how we work to offer the best expe- rience for our agents and customers. I am also mindful that when it comes to talking to customers about serving them in Asia, it is a different set of con- versations and may be less familiar to some agents. This means we will spend more time on enablement activities across the channel and help- ing agents to make the most out of the opportu- nity that Asia presents. CV: You have been at Telstra since 1999. How has the company changed since you started? And why is the company stronger today than it has ever been? NC: From our beginnings in Australia, Telstra has a proud history spanning al- most 150 years. In fact, the first telegraph services in Australia were delivered by Telstra, and our satellite earth station in international Agents Telstra Opens Opportunities inAsia-Pacific Celebrates 25 years in U.S. A s Telstra celebrates its 25th year of operating in the Americas, it has made a series of announcements that are expected to further its growth in the United States and extend its leadership in delivering network services across the Pacific and within Asia. Telstra’s Nicholas Collins 92 Channel Vision | March - April, 2019