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Polycom, a provider of HD Voice solutions, has reportedly appointed Aaron Payne, a former Avaya (News - Alert) and Siemens executive, as its area sales vice president for the U.K. and Ireland.

 

According to CRN, Payne is charged with firming up the company’s strategy across the U.K. and Ireland through both direct and channel sales. In addition, Payne will also be responsible for meeting revenue growth targets, the report said.

 

Payne joins Polycom (News - Alert) from Obsidian Wireless, a mobile communications specialist, where he was, as director of global sales. There, he was in charge of growing sales of fixed mobile convergence products. Before that, Payne held senior positions at Touch Telecom, Avaya and Siemens.

 

 “The videoconferencing industry has weathered the economic storm reasonably well and is better positioned than many other industries,” Steve Leyland, Polycom's EMEA general manager, said in a statement “It is vital for Polycom to seize the market opportunities and grow our market share. We are confident that Payne will continue to steer Polycom full speed ahead in the right direction.”

 

In accepting the position, Payne said he will dedicate his time to understand the business and identify market opportunities to “revamp the existing channel and sales strategy," CRN reported.

 

Payne’s hiring comes three months after the Pleasanton, Calif.-based provider of telepresence, video, and voice solutions hired Andrew M. Miller as executive vice president of global of operations.  Miller, who joined the firm in July, is in charge of leading a global sales operation of nearly 700 professionals, channel partners and strategic alliances.

 

Miller led top sales organizations and drove growth in upper management roles for industry leaders, including Cisco and Tandberg. He held various posts during his 28-year career with a background in global expertise across the enterprise, service provider and government. In addition, Miller also held posts in organizational management including operations, marketing, strategy, manufacturing and engineering.

 

With the new hires, Polycom is looking to ramp up sales as telepresence solutions become more popular. In a down economy, businesses are looking to tighten costs. The solutions also help organizations better compete and address the so-called “green trend” by reducing the corporate carbon footprint, Polycom said.