Jay Rich

In my role as Industry Technology Lead for Public Safety & Justice at Akkodis Australia, I leverage a unique blend of business acumen, consulting expertise, and deep technological knowledge to drive innovative solutions that address the complex challenges within the Public Safety & Justice sector. My responsibilities include developing and implementing technology strategies that align with industry needs, fostering relationships with key stakeholders, and leading transformational initiatives that enhance public safety outcomes.

I collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including sales, advisory, and product development, to ensure our strategies and solutions resonate with the specific needs of the sector. My role involves staying ahead of technology trends, influencing industry direction, and guiding clients through digital transformation, all while maintaining a customer-centric approach.

With a passion for continuous learning and understanding of law enforcement, emergency services, and justice systems, I am committed to creating and implementing solutions that not only meet current industry demands but also anticipate future challenges, ensuring that Akkodis remains at the forefront of technological innovation in Public Safety & Justice.

As CEO and Founder of Optix Vue, I lead our mission to redefine the landscape of emergency response and critical infrastructure management through innovative IoT and AI technologies.

My role involves:

• Strategic Leadership: Crafting and executing a forward-looking strategy that aligns with our mission of enhancing situational awareness and operational efficiency for our clients.
• Innovation and Growth: Driving the development of Vision Vue, our flagship platform. This ensures it remains adaptive and ahead of evolving market demands and technological trends.
• Partnership Development: Building and nurturing strategic partnerships to enhance our technological capabilities and expand our reach.
• Team Development: Leading and empowering a talented team, fostering a culture of innovation, empathy, and excellence.
• Operational Oversight: Ensuring seamless operations, from product development to customer engagement, to maintain the highest standards of quality and service.
  

Over the past year, my focus has been on leveraging our core competencies to develop unparalleled value to our customers. This ensures Optix Vue not only meets but also exceeds expectations in emergency response and critical infrastructure protection.

Skills: Leadership · C-Level · Startups · Business Strategy · Strategic Partnerships

As a Senior IoT Partner Global Strategist at Microsoft, I have a proven track record of driving successful engagements in a variety of areas, including:

• Strategic multi-global partner agreements
• Led a global team of IoT specialists, fostering a collaborative environment and driving team performance.
• Developing complex IoT solutions to enable new forms of revenue and growth
• Monetizing IoT products and services
• Business transformation
• Smart connected transportation
• IoT security
• Edge-to-cloud solutioning
• Smart manufacturing
  

I achieve this by cultivating C-level relationships with partners, customers, and key stakeholders, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and always approaching opportunities with a growth mindset. My skills include expertise in Microsoft Azure Cloud and Microsoft Azure IoT.

Skills: Microsoft Azure · Microsoft IoT

As a Global Strategy Leader in Cisco's Industrial IoT Cyber Security Acquisitions & Incubation Business, I led
a global team with a focus on three key areas:

• Built and led a global team, fostering strategic partnerships and driving revenue growth.
• Integrating and Incubating IoT Acquisitions: Seamlessly incorporating IoT acquisitions into Cisco's
  core business operations.
• Building Strategic Partnerships: Establishing and nurturing relationships with global IoT partners.
• Driving Revenue Growth: Creating and executing sales and marketing strategies to boost revenue from
  Cisco's IoT acquisitions.

As one of the founding members of Cisco's IoT APJC business, I played a key role in:

• Established the structure for Cisco's IoT team in APJC, recruiting and onboarding top talent.
• Developing a comprehensive go-to-market strategy for the region.
• Recruiting and onboarding a talented team of professionals to drive Cisco's IoT efforts in APJC.
• Assisting organizations in the region to drive their digital transformation strategies through Cisco's Industrial IoT/OT industrial networking and software platforms.

I was instrumental in establishing the foundation for Cisco's IoT efforts in the APJC region, creating the structure and processes that enabled the team to operate effectively. I developed a go-to-market strategy that helped to position Cisco as a leader in the IoT space in APJC. Additionally, I worked to recruit and onboard the best talent to drive Cisco's IoT efforts in the region, and I supported organizations in the region in realizing their digital transformation goals through Cisco's industrial IoT/OT industrial networking and software platforms.

As a Collaboration Product Technology Evangelist at Cisco, I was responsible for:

• Developing sales, marketing, and branding strategies for Cisco Collaboration acquisitions to increase their adoption and drive revenue for Cisco's Global Collaboration business.
• Accelerating the adoption of Cisco's digital transformation technologies by providing expert guidance and training to customers.
• Delivering high-energy presentations and engaging training sessions to educate customers on the benefits and capabilities of Cisco's digital transformation solutions.
• Supporting customers on their digital transformation journey by providing expert guidance and enabling them to fully leverage the capabilities of Cisco's solutions.
• Driving revenue for Cisco's Global Collaboration business by identifying new market opportunities and positioning the company for success in the collaboration space.
  

My role as a Collaboration Product Technology Evangelist was focused on accelerating the adoption of Cisco's digital transformation technologies and driving revenue for Cisco's Global Collaboration business. I was responsible for developing sales, marketing, and branding strategies for Cisco Collaboration acquisitions, delivering high-energy presentations and engaging training sessions to educate customers on the benefits of Cisco's solutions and supporting them on their digital transformation journey. I also worked to identify new market opportunities and position Cisco for success in the collaboration space.

As a sales professional, my goal was to ensure that our customers achieve the greatest possible impact from the Polycom solutions they implement, by aligning them with their IT strategy. I did this by building, maintaining, and establishing strong relationships with C-level executives in major and mid-level enterprise accounts, and by working closely with these customers to understand their unique needs and goals.

Furthermore, I was responsible for creating and executing targeted account plans to drive sales and revenue growth, and for identifying new business opportunities within existing accounts. I also work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure that customer needs are met in a timely and effective manner. My ultimate goal is to help our customers to maximize their ROI and achieve their business objectives through the use of Polycom's solutions.

• Forecasted sales and established processes to achieve sales objectives and related metrics.
• Increased sales revenue by developing and implementing strategic territory plans.
• Analyzed sales data to identify opportunities for improvement and implemented targeted action plans accordingly.
• Established strong relationships with key clients, boosting customer retention rates.
• Provided exceptional support to existing customers, leading to increased repeat business and referrals.
• Motivated and mentored sales employees to enhance presentation, negotiation and customer relations abilities.
• Maintained a deep understanding of industry trends, enabling informed decisions on sales strategies and product offerings.
• Monitored customer buying trends, market conditions, and competitor actions to adjust strategies and achieve sales goals.
• Grew businesses by adopting market expansion strategy to serve different customer needs.

enRich Consulting was a successful business venture that I founded. My company specialized in providing consulting services to a wide range of clients including vendors, partners, and organizations. We aimed to help businesses grow by fostering strong strategic partnerships within the IT community. Our approach went beyond just technology, we aimed to understand the core objectives of the business and worked to ensure that the best possible outcome was achieved.

Our motto was enRICH Consulting - enriching your business' IT&T decisions.

Our services were designed to help our clients to make more informed decisions by providing them with expert guidance and support. By identifying key areas for improvement and opportunities for growth, we helped businesses to increase their competitiveness and achieve their goals. Our expertise and experience in the IT industry helped us to create valuable partnerships that delivered long-term benefits to our clients.

• Developed long-term business strategies to position companies for success in competitive markets.
• Spearheaded the implementation of new software systems, ensuring seamless integration with existing processes and minimal disruption to daily operations.
• Conducted market research to identify emerging trends, providing valuable insights for clients seeking a competitive edge in their industry.
• Fostered a culture of continuous improvement by promoting innovation, learning from mistakes, and embracing change as an opportunity for growth.
• Strengthened client relationships through effective communication, understanding their needs, and delivering tailored solutions.

Partner Account Manager with a focus within the ANZ region, selling into Channel, Corporate and Government segmentations, while building high-trust relationships with C level executives in all verticals. Focusing on finding and closing large Unified communication opportunities, while driving revenue through Polycom's partners.

• Built solid relationships with key decision-makers within partner organizations driving trust-based collaborations that benefited both parties.
• Handled complex deal negotiations successfully balancing partner needs alongside organizational growth targets securing mutually beneficial agreements.
• Developed joint business plans with partners, resulting in increased revenue and market share.
• Conducted quarterly business reviews with partners, assessing performance and aligning on future strategies.
• Evaluated potential partnership opportunities based on strategic fit and revenue potential, ensuring alignment with company objectives.

• Establishing and growing APC Schneider's IT business into Queensland government departments, health organizations and education groups by proving mission critical physical data centre solutions.
• Delivering growth and revenue for APC Schneider
• Developed customized solutions for clients based on a deep understanding of their unique pain points, delivering exceptional value and driving repeat business.
• Generated new business with marketing initiatives and strategic plans.
• Represented company and promoted products at conferences and industry events.
• Managed a diverse portfolio of accounts, consistently exceeding revenue targets through upselling strategies and exceptional customer service.
• Established relationships with key decision-makers within customer's organization to promote growth and retention.
• Negotiated and closed long-term agreements with new clients in assigned territory.
• Identified and pursued valuable business opportunities to generate new company revenue and improve bottom line profit.
• Developed new proposals, contracts and procedures to draw in more clients and streamline work operations.

• Developing relationships with key accounts across enterprise, government, education and health sectors.
• Driving growth and revenue within Dimension Data's Collaboration Cloud, Data Centre portfolios.
• Provided exceptional customer service, addressing client concerns promptly and effectively to ensure long-term loyalty.
• Managed multiple accounts simultaneously while maintaining organization and prioritizing tasks efficiently.
• Qualified leads, built relationships and executed sales strategies to drive new business.
• Exceeded sales targets consistently by identifying new business opportunities and creating customized solutions for clients.

As a Cloud and Data Centre Technical Sales Executive, my role focused on working in the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions team, where I was responsible for leading the discussion with our customers and closing new business.

During my time at Data#3, I also built a physical Data Centre business from the ground up, focusing on the design and implementation of mission critical physical data centres, using APC Schneider Electric technologies. This endeavour successfully grew Data#3's revenue and offered their customers a true end to end solution.

• Increased sales revenue by developing and maintaining strong relationships with key clients.
• Cultivated a deep understanding of competitor offerings, enabling effective differentiation in client presentations and proposals.
• Spearheaded trade show participation, showcasing cutting-edge products and networking with key industry players for business expansion opportunities.
• Expanded market reach by identifying new business opportunities and establishing strategic partnerships.

IBM / Lenovo Level 2 support engineer for the Asia Pacific Region, providing diagnostic and remote technical support to IBM clients.

The role demanded outstanding customer service skills and the ability to analyse - diagnose and attempt to fix a client's issue remotely via telephone.

Experience in this area of the IBM business provided me with in depth exposure and experience in IBM's, technical knowledge databases, parts information and ordering systems, issue management and client retention operations.

I also learnt the value of empowerment using a proven methodology that is designed to negotiate the best outcome for the client and IBM in difficult situations.

• Delegated daily tasks, addressed employee questions and resolved scheduling issues.
• Managed team workload to reach targets for specific tasks.
• Built strong relationships with customers through positive attitude and attentive response.
• Managed multiple projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks for optimal resource allocation and workflow efficiency.

Wholesale ADSL Faults / Bigpond Wireless Helpdesk department, where my roles included:

• Logging and Actioning Wholesale ISP Faults on the ADSL Network.
• Providing support for Telstra Faults field staff.
• Wireless Cable tech support for Bigpond customers.
• Installed, configured, tested and maintained operating systems, application software, and system management tools.
• Managed multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely completion and adherence to budget constraints.
• Streamlined workflows by creating and updating comprehensive documentation of processes and procedures.
• Analyzed data from various sources to identify areas for improvement within engineering processes or systems architecture effectively addressing inefficiencies discovered therein.