AMD names new VAR and SI commercial sales chief for EMEA

Computer hardware and processor manufacturer AMD has announced the appointment of James Blackman as head of VAR and SI commercial sales for the EMEA region.

A seasoned industry veteran, Blackman brings more than 30 years’ experience to the role and has spent more than 13 years at AMD, most recently leading the firm’s HP sales activity across EMEA.

In his new position, the sales veteran is now tasked with building a robust channel community in the region, while acting as a clear point of contact for channel partners, the chipmaker said.

“I'm delighted to lead the AMD VAR & SI Commercial Sales team in EMEA,” Blackman said in an announcement.

“My focus will be on strengthening our partner ecosystem to deliver exceptional value to our customers. I recognize the immense market opportunity for AMD solutions, and I'm eager to collaborate with ITDMs to achieve mutual success.”

Blackman will leverage his extensive experience and expertise to support partners as they leverage AMD technologies across various value added resellers (VARs) and systems integrators (SIs) - including its high performance compute capabilities, sustainability innovations, and AI offerings.

The firm said the appointment underscores its commitment to strengthening its channel partnerships and expanding its reach within the EMEA region, with Blackman to “play a key role” in helping partners deliver solutions to their customers.

“In my previous role, I had the privilege of partnering exclusively with HP. Now this new position allows me to embrace the full AMD portfolio and collaborate with all OEMs across the ecosystem,” Blackman said in a LinkedIn post.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to drive growth, strengthen partnerships, and work closely with value-added resellers and systems integrators across EMEA.”

The appointment marks the latest move by AMD to strengthen its sales and channel leadership across EMEA, with the company naming HP veteran Stephanie Dismore as its new senior vice president of EMEA regional sales back in August 2024.

Elsewhere, the chipmaker also recently announced its latest earnings report, which revealed record quarterly revenue of $7.7 billion for Q4, alongside a company best of $25.8 billion for the entirety of its FY2024.

MORE FROM ITPRO

• GPU cloud startup Vultr secures AMD backing in $333 million investment round
• Researchers claim an AMD security flaw could let hackers access encrypted data
• AMD to cut around 1,000 staff to focus on "growth opportunities"