Jackie Elleker, Microsoft UK

Jackie joined Microsoft UK in 1990, spending her first two years evangelizing Windows 3.0 and early versions of Microsoft Office to Partners and customers. The following 10 years were spent working with customers and Partner in a pre-sales role, assisting with their business and technical evaluation of Microsoft Office. From May 2002, Jackie has been a member of the Microsoft Presentation Team delivering presentations on latest products and technologies. For her sins, Jackie also delivers Microsoft licensing training to Partners and customers.

Prior to Microsoft, Jackie spent five years at Hewlett-Packard.

Andy Dow, Westcoast Limited

Andy joined Westcoast in autumn 2000 and since that time has driven the Product
and the Marketing divisions as their Commercial Director.

Andy started in the industry as a reseller back in the days of the Apple and the launch of the first Microsoft operating system, before moving to Hewlett Packard five years later. In HP Andy worked in the Personal Computer division managing the relationship with both resellers and distribution partners. After nine years with HP, Andy moved to distribution, spending six years with Computer 2000 before taking up his present post at Westcoast seven years ago.

A believer in the Westcoast’s “narrow and deep” philosophy Andy stresses that distribution should “offer its resellers a knowledgeable point of contact with a deep understanding on their chosen products. This can only be achieved if you select a narrow range of ‘industry leading products”.

Susanne Dansey, Westcoast Limited

Susanne is Westcoast’s Microsoft Channel Development Manager for the Small Business Community as well as a Microsoft Valuable Professional (MVP) for Small Business Server. Her work within your community has been built on passion and an understanding that businesses no-longer simply succeed on know-how and more about who you know. Partnering and sharing ideas has always been a difficult task for the more traditional Partners, but working with those peers who saw the opportunity, Susanne has been part of a successful SBSC and Gold Partner for most of her working life and is now using her skills and experiences to spread the benefit to those who she works with in this new capacity.

She is a regular contributor to the Community through her blogging on www.uksmbgirl.co.uk but in her spare time enjoys rugby, running, and adventure holidays such as to Everest.

Chris Parkes, Microsoft UK

Chris has been working in a technical partner advisory role at Microsoft since September 2003.  During this time, his responsibilities have included Microsoft Dynamics CRM, application development for Independent Software Vendors and the Microsoft Office System.  A keen advocate of the Demo Showcase for the People Ready Business you can read more about what makes Chris tick here http://blogs.technet.com/chrisp/

Prior to his career at Microsoft Chris spent seven years writing and deploying stock control, accounting and human resource software for small and mid size organisations.