With over three decades of experience in building and scaling global channel programs, Johnston joins Digital Realty from Equinix, where she was instrumental in evolving their channel approach. At Digital Realty, her focus will be on establishing a durable and scalable channel model that further integrates Digital Realty’s offerings into the core of its partners’ business models across the world, delivering a fully comprehensive digital transformation capability for enterprise customers.
To achieve this, the company is committed to deepening its strategic relationships with top-tier partners, including network service providers (NSPs), global systems integrators (GSIs), and value-added resellers (VARs). Johnston's primary objective will be to help Digital Realty's partners derive even greater value and growth through PlatformDIGITAL®, its global data center platform, providing more choice in terms of location, capacity and data center services, particularly for enterprise customers.
“The success of Digital Realty is intertwined with that of our partners,” said Colin McLean, Chief Revenue Officer, Digital Realty. “We have a strong foundation, and with our partners, we can extend our reach and service capabilities even further. Jules’ experience and industry relationships will be invaluable in strengthening these critical partnerships.”
Johnston embraced Digital Realty’s partner-centric approach: “Enterprises typically rely on six to seven trusted partners throughout their digital transformation journeys. My mission is to equip our partners with the tools and resources they need, positioning Digital Realty as a trusted ally in the growth and digital transformation of our shared customers.”
A key part of this strategy will be enhancing Digital Realty’s partner program to better align to what partners need to service the rapidly changing needs of today’s enterprise customers, who are themselves grappling with how they realize the benefits of AI for their businesses, and where they should locate their mission-critical workloads and early-stage AI projects. By prioritizing collaboration and shared success, the company aims to create a partner ecosystem that is more integrated and impactful, capable of servicing the full spectrum of customer data center needs from strategy through technology selection through deployment.
“This announcement goes beyond welcoming a new leader; it signifies our continued and increased dedication to our partners,” McLean continued. "We are making a concerted effort to move towards an even more partner-centric model, ensuring that our top partners feel fully integrated into our strategy and equipped to deliver exceptional value to our mutual customers.”
