‘Brian is absolutely going to move the services needle for partners,’ says Advizex CEO C.R. Howdyshell. ‘This is a brilliant move by Simon Ewington. Brian gets customers, gets the channel and gets HPE.’
Falvey, who was most recently North America vice president of customer success and lifetime value, takes the job overseeing worldwide channel services strategy effective April 1.
Falvey’s appointment comes as the hybrid cloud powerhouse moves to accelerate partner services transformation. The announcement comes just eight days after HPE Vice President North America Channels and Partner Ecosystem Phil Soper stepped down effective immediately.
[RELATED: HPE Channel Chief Phil Soper Stepping Down]
Falvey will report to HPE Vice President of Worldwide Channel And Partner Ecosystem Simon Ewington.
“In FY25 one of HPE’s priorities is driving higher profitability in the business we build together with our partners,” said Ewington in a prepared statement. “Services play a critical role in our success here, by delivering massive margin contribution and driving long-term value. To maximize this opportunity, we must enable our partners to differentiate and win with services.”
C.R. Howdyshell, CEO of Advizex, a Fulcrum IT Partners company, said Falvey is a proven HPE sales “superstar” who rolls up his sleeves and helps partners close deals.
‘Great News’ For HPE Partners
“This is great news for HPE partners,” said Howdyshell. “Brian is a world class executive who has helped Advizex move into the as a service market with the GreenLake pay-per-use consumption model. He has helped us close some of our biggest GreenLake deals. Brian is absolutely going to move the services needle for partners. This is a brilliant move by Simon Ewington. Brian gets customers, gets the channel and gets HPE.”
Howdyshell credited Falvey for stepping in time and time again to help Advizex win deals in an intensely competitive market. “Brian is someone that understands the customer’s perspective, the partner’s perspective and is willing to step in and help accelerate the sales cycle,” he said. “He is able to talk to customers side by side with the partner and then go back to HPE to make things happen. That is huge! Brian is customer centric and partner centric.”
Howdyshell, who has worked closely with Falvey for the last five years, credited the HPE veteran for helping drive Advizex’s success in the as a service market. In fact, he said, Falvey, who is HPE’s lead “focus” executive for the Advizex business, was instrumental in Advizex being named HPE’s US as a Service Partner of the Year in 2021.
Howdyshell said he is “extremely optimistic” that HPE is going to make channel services gains with Falvey leading the charge. “Services are the most profitable part of our business,” he said. “Being able to wrap our services around product makes us sticky with customers. Putting Brian in that role is only going to help drive that services business to new heights. He knows the services playbook and knows what HPE needs to do to help partners be successful.”
Howdyshell expects the Advizex as-a-service business to double this year. “With the impact of tariffs and other uncertainties right now we are seeing customers embrace our as as-a-service offering with multiple vendors on a single bill,” he said
Rob Schaeffer, president and chief revenue officer of e360, a top HPE partner based in Concord, Calif., No. 128 on the 2024 CRN Solution Provider 500, hailed Falvey’s appointment as “great news” for partners.
A Well-Respected And Trusted ‘Channel Advocate’
“Brian is a well-respected and trusted executive and channel advocate that has a great command of the HPE landscape and community,” said Schaeffer. “His many roles at HPE gives him broad and vast experience to call upon to help partners be successful. He has a great history and understanding of partners.”
Schaeffer said Falvey’s knowledge of the North America market and partners will be a big plus in his new worldwide role. “It’s great for us and it’s great for HPE,” he said. “Brian is trusted and respected and wants to roll up his sleeves and dig in with us.”
As for the key to Falvey being successful driving HPE Channel Services sales, Schaeffer said: “Aligning HPE products and services with the partner’s services to satisfy the business outcome of the customer is critical. We need each other. We augment each other very nicely when we work together as one.”
Falvey, who has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Boston College and a law degree from Boston College law school, started his career as a corporate attorney and joined Dell in 2008 as a business development executive. Six years later, Falvey joined HPE as director of public sector channel sales.
Pat O’Dell, managing partner at Clinton, N.J.-based CPP Associates, HPE’s GreenLake Partner of the Year in 2023, said he is excited about Falvey’s new worldwide role with a focus on helping partners drive services sales.
“Brian is willing to get involved and get his hands dirty to help partners and his follow-up with our teams is impeccable,” said O’Dell. “His varied background beyond technology with experience in finance and law is going to help partners. As business owners, we have to think about finance, legal implications along with understanding technology. Working with someone like Brian that understands in-depth those things helps us.”
Howdyshell, for his part, said he is hoping that in his new role, Falvey will continue to be the lead HPE “Focus” executive for Advizex. “I think the world of Brian,” he said. “We talk regularly and he gets involved whenever we have pricing issues or challenges. His performance and track record speaks for itself. He has been successful in every role he has held at HPE. He knows how to build bridges between customers, partners and HPE. “
