Microsoft Asia-Pacific appoints new GM for SMB and partner unit

• Stanimira Koleva to be responsible for an ecosystem of more than 28,000 partners in Asia Pacific region
• 19 year’s industry experience, most recently vice president of Partner Business Group for Cisco Systems in Asia Pacific

MICROSOFT Corp has announced that Stanimira Koleva (pic) is joining the company to manage and lead its partner efforts across the Asia Pacific region.
 
As the leader of the Small and Midmarket Solutions and Partners (SMS&P) business group, she will be responsible for an ecosystem of more than 28,000 partners in the region, the company said in a statement.
 
In her new role, she will help to develop the company’s small and medium business offerings for Asia Pacific as the region continues its aggressive consumption of technologies across cloud, mobility, business intelligence and social, Microsoft said.
 
Her appointment comes at a time when Microsoft is investing up to US$5.8 billion on its partners worldwide across incentives, training, tools and programs to deliver enhanced partner profitability, it added.
 
“Stanimira’s 19 years’ experience will be a fantastic addition to the SMS&P talent here in Asia Pacific,” said Microsoft Asia Pacific president Cesar Cernuda.
 
“She possesses vast knowledge of the IT industry and channels, as well as a keen strategic mind and a solid understanding of different local cultures,” he added.
 
Koleva was most recently vice president of the Partner Business Group for Cisco Systems for the Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China (APJC) region, where she oversaw the company’s partner strategy and partner business across the region.
 
In this role she also had a place on the regional executive management board and was tasked to work closely with Cisco’s worldwide partner organization to lead the overall APJC partner business strategy.
 
Before moving to Asia in 2010, she headed Cisco’s European commercial and small business practice. She joined Cisco in 2007 as a director of the company’s small and medium business practice in Europe.
 
Prior to this role, Koleva spent 10 years with 3Com Corp, where she held leading management roles including Asia Pacific vice president and general manager, and vice president, Enterprise Sales, Europe, channel sales director international (EMEA and Asia Pacific).
 
Her career began with five years at Bulgaria’s leading IT company Prosoft, in various roles. She started off as a business development manager and made her way up to managing director of distribution and later, vice president of sales for the company.
 
Koleva holds Master’s degrees in Computer Science and Business Administration, both from the Technical University in Sofia, Bulgaria.
 
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