Layer 7 Technologies Expands Global Sales Team With Seasoned Hires From Major Competitors
Former IBM DataPower Employees Join Layer 7 as Regional Sales Directors
Layer 7 Technologies, a leading provider of Application Gateways for SOA integration, cloud connectivity and API management, today announced that the company is expanding its global sales presence by hiring four key new salespeople away from competitors. The new hires are a testament to Layer 7’s industry leadership and exceptional growth in 2011 from increased demand by customers for cloud and mobile integration solutions.
Nitin Thurkal, Canadian regional sales director, and Ian Clark, European regional sales director, both join Layer 7 from competitor IBM DataPower’s SOA Appliance’s division. Thurkal has been selling in the XML gateway space for more than seven years and was part of the DataPower team prior to IBM’s acquisition of the company. Clark brings a unique blend of commercial and private sector experience to Layer 7 and will help the company expand its foothold in both markets.
Thurkal and Clark are the latest members of a critical mass of former IBM DataPower employees who have moved to Layer 7, including the former worldwide sales manager who ran North American sales for IBM DataPower and the author of the DataPower handbook.
“Layer 7’s profile in the SOA integration and API management markets continues to rise, as evidenced by the influx of competitor talent to our company, Leader positions in recent analyst reports and our growth in worldwide markets,” said Jeff Miller, vice president of sales at Layer 7 Technologies. “We will continue to fill our ranks with skilled and passionate people to establish the company as the de facto choice to meet enterprise demand for SOA, cloud and mobile integration solutions.”
Other new hires include Mark LaGrone, who will serve as the director of partner field sales at Layer 7, and John Liss, who becomes the regional sales director for the New York and Wall Street territories. LaGrone left Oracle to take his position with Layer 7 and will become the head of developing VAR, SI and ISV relationships in the field. Liss has been a successful salesman in the New York and Wall Street territories for years and closed multiple million-dollar deals prior to joining Layer 7 for companies including Vitria, SAP and Ariba.