Rubrik recruits ex-Zscaler Kamal Elkhaili as APAC channel leader

Rubrik has appointed Zscaler’s former regional channel leader Kamal Elkhaili as its director for channels and alliances of Asia Pacific (APAC).

Elkhaili will lead the expansion of the cloud data management and security vendor’s new Transform partner program by focusing on building alliances, strengthening partnerships and driving the channel sales team.

He brings with him ample experience to the role, with almost two decades of industry experience. He has previously held various IT, security, cloud and network sales and engineering positions at companies like Oracle, Cisco, Verizon and NEC.

“I’m humbled to lead the APAC channels and alliances efforts as we further Rubrik’s mission of securing the world’s data through our exceptional partner ecosystem,” said Elkhaili.

“I look forward to working closely with our partners and exploring what we can do together as we deliver powerful and secure outcomes to help organisations become cyber resilient.”

His appointment is part of Rubrik’s ongoing expansion strategy in APAC and follows that of Abhilash Purushothaman as general manager and vice president for Asia.

A newly created position, the Bengaluru-based Purushothaman is tasked to lead the business in India and ASEAN, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Elkhaili’s appointment also follows in the footsteps the hiring of Zscaler alumnus Arun Dharmalingam last year as its VP of international channels, alliances and global system integrators (GSI).

“As Rubrik continues to establish itself as a pioneer in the data security industry, we recognise that bringing onboard the most talented individuals with diverse skill sets is vital to our ongoing success,” said Ghazal Asif, vice president of global channels and alliances at Rubrik.

“Elkhaili’s deep understanding of channel and alliances in Asia will be instrumental in strengthening Rubrik’s position as a trusted partner for organisations seeking to improve their cyber security posture.”