Ep. 108 - Anna-Maria L?weberg, Senior Director Partners EMEA at HashiCorp

In this episode of Partnerships Unraveled, we welcome Anna-Maria L?weberg , Head of Partner Organization EMEA at HashiCorp . With over 20 years of experience, Anna-Maria brings a wealth of insights into building channel programs that effectively navigate the complexities of the EMEA market.

Anna-Maria shares her approach to tackling the unique challenges of a region as diverse as EMEA—where factors like language, local regulations, and cultural nuances demand a tailored strategy. We discuss the power of leveraging local partners who understand these intricacies and the importance of balancing centralized and localized approaches to drive growth effectively.

She also highlights the value of creating partner advisory councils, listening deeply to partners, and building trust by acting on feedback. In Anna-Maria’s view, a successful channel is more than a network—it’s a collaborative ecosystem where mutual understanding and shared values drive success.

Join us as we explore practical strategies for building strong partner relationships and driving channel success across complex, international markets.

Key Takeaways:

1. Localize Your EMEA Strategy: EMEA is diverse—approach each country individually to navigate unique regulations, languages, and cultures. Lean on local partners for valuable market insights.
2. Balance Consistency with Flexibility: Keep core strategies consistent, but allow room to adapt locally. In markets like Germany and France, customization, including local language support, makes a big difference.
3. Establish Partner Advisory Councils: Create a two-way feedback loop with partners to build trust and gain real-world insights. Listen actively and respond to feedback to align regional and global priorities effectively.
4. Think Like a Coach: Support partners like a coach would. Aim to be the “best partnership” every day by offering guidance and actively helping partners succeed.
5. Collaborate Across Regions: Share successes and strategies across different regions to strengthen your global partner network.

Anna-Maria's nominations

At the close of each episode, we ask our guests to nominate future leaders they believe would bring valuable insights to the podcast. Anna-Maria nominated two exceptional leaders:

1) Torben Sebens , CRO at Kubeark

2) Rob Tomlin , Managing Director UKI at Exclusive Networks UK

We look forward to the insights and experiences they can bring to our discussions on channel leadership.