Reseller to recruit more staff as vendor Cyber-Ark promises ‘total identity’ partner status

Security VAR Chameleon has kicked off a recruitment drive after claiming its decision to focus on just one vendor, digital vaulting specialist Cyber-Ark, has started to pay off.

The reseller, which began life as a multi-vendor information security VAR in 2005, has seen its staff numbers rise from four to 14 in less than a year and expects to recruit a further six staff by the middle of next year.

Lloyd Conway, sales director at Hampshire-based Chameleon, said: “We saw very quickly that the main interest was in Cyber-Ark, so we took the bold decision to become a single-vendor company.

“Our strategy is to identify UK organisations that have requirements around privileged password management. Because we are a single-vendor company, we are being chosen over Cyber-Ark’s numerous other partners.”

However, Graham Jones, chief operating officer at giant integrator and Cyber-Ark reseller Integralis, was sceptical.

“Focusing on one vendor may work in the short term, but Chameleon could encounter problems down the road. The danger is it will be seen as just an extension of the vendor and lose its impartiality,” Jones said.

Conway argued that Chameleon would be further boosted by Cyber-Ark’s new partner programme, which unlike any others tiers resellers based on their investment in the vendor.

Calum MacLeod, European director at Cyber-Ark, confirmed that Chameleon would qualify as a top-level ‘total identity’ partner under the new scheme.

“Previously, all partners had the same relationship with Cyber-Ark. But the fairest way to categorise them is to reward the resellers that have the smallest product portfolio and greatest expertise. Integralis is selling 70 to 80 products and will get fewer financial benefits from us,” MacLeod explained.

He added: “It is very brave for a reseller to take the strategic decision to put all its eggs in one basket and Chameleon has been very successful as a result.”