ISV News: What are your responsibilities at Oracle?
Markus Reischl: As director for ISV sales in EMEA I will be managing a team of channel managers that take care of international ISV partners for Oracle. This means that partners which are based in Europe will be managed on a cross border sales model, so we support them in being successful selling Oracle Technology across all countries in EMEA.

ISVN: What is your experience in this field?
MR: I have twelve years experience in the IT business mainly in direct and indirect sales roles. I started off working with Siemens Nixdorf, which became Fujitsu Siemens Computers , as a channel manager setting up the US channel for their middleware products. Later I worked at a CRM company called Onyx Software as a key account manager in direct sales. I have been with Oracle for the past five years working as a team account manager for local tier one SIs like Accenture, Cap Gemini, Siemens Business Services and Fujitsu Siemens Computers

ISVN: What initiatives do you have planned for the coming months?
MR: There will be some initiatives based around our Fusion middleware, and we will launch a full technology stack adoption program supported by Oracle HQ and Product Technology Services. We will execute this program for the international ISV community with workshops, seminars and joint go to market initiatives. Also, those GTMIs will include very specific triangulation programs with our hardware vendors like HP and Fujitsu Siemens Computers.

ISVN: What is the key to attracting and retaining good ISV partners?
MR: In my opinion it is a mixture of things. First you need to have very competent partner management in terms of technology, so it's about creating a tight integration of the partner's development into the Oracle development community. Always try to keep them on the leading edge of what we develop here and what we launch, and try to bring them onto our full technology stack. I believe this tight integration from a development perspective is key.

The other part which is crucial for ISVs business is a very smooth and tight integration of the partner's sales activities into Oracle's sales and channel programs, like open market model, and the different contract versions we have here such as Applications Specific Full Use (ASFU) or Embedded Software License (ESL). It's important integrate the partner completely into Oracle's Sales infrastructure.

ISVN: What are the key benefits ISVs can gain from working with Oracle?
MR:The key benefits are certainly that the ISV partners will open up new markets and business potential by using Oracle technology as an integral part of their solution. By using open standards ISV partners will have the ability to keep their infrastructure open and scaleable. This means, for example, being able to deliver their solution based on an Oracle grid infrastructure to their customers.

ISVN: What initial steps should ISVs take if they are interested in becoming an Oracle partner?
MR: If they have not yet had any contact with us, they should definitely visit our OPN site because this is probably the best tool we offer to partners, with a comprehensive set of information and directions on how to engage with Oracle. The partners can join the quick start OPN program and in order to engage as soon as possible with Oracle and establish a valuable partnership.