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    Partner Marketing at Scale: Insights from 23,000 SAP Partners

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    Andrew Kisslo Salesforce — Senior Vice President, Partner Programs & Strategy
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    In this insightful episode of the ZINFI Partner Ecosystem Podcast, Sugata Sanyal, Founder & CEO of ZINFI, hosts Andrew Kisslo, SVP of Global Partner Marketing at SAP. With 23,000 partners globally, SAP’s ecosystem offers a masterclass in orchestration, scalability, and growth-focused strategy. Andrew shares how SAP redefines partner roles across selling, building, enabling, and servicing—while driving co-marketing and co-selling initiatives through multi-partner engagement models like the “Power of Three.” The conversation also explores leadership transformation, the changing face of B2B buyers, and how AI empowers partners at every maturity level. From segmentation to strategy and measurement to enablement, this episode distills decades of field experience into practical takeaways. Learn how SAP uses frameworks, data, and storytelling to turn complexity into growth.

    TL;DR

    Andrew Kisslo , SVP of Global Partner Marketing at SAP, discusses the complexity of managing a 23,000-partner ecosystem. He explores the shift from traditional channel marketing to partner-led growth, the move toward SaaS monetization models, and how industry giants like Microsoft and SAP collaborate to blend external user experiences with robust backend business logic.

    "The hardest part of partner marketing is ensuring that thousands of external partners can represent your brand and product with the same level of expertise as your internal teams."

    — Andrew Kisslo

    What We Discussed

    Managing Global Partner Marketing at Scale

    Running a partner ecosystem for a company like SAP requires a balance of high-level strategy and granular support. With over 23,000 partners, the goal is to provide every entity with the necessary resources to grow. The true difficulty lies in brand alignment, as partners must be able to articulate the product value as well as the internal marketing teams do. This ensures a consistent customer experience across the entire global network.

    • •SAP supports a massive network of 23,000 partners globally.
    • •The mission is to empower partners to build successful businesses within the ecosystem.
    • •Success is measured by how well partners can communicate product benefits.
    • •Scaling marketing materials across diverse geographic regions is a core challenge.
    • •The relationship focuses on mutual growth rather than simple vendor-reseller dynamics.
    • •Consistent messaging is vital for maintaining brand integrity at scale.
    • •Partner programs must be flexible enough to accommodate various business sizes.

    The Evolution of SaaS and Monetization Models

    The history of software has seen a massive shift in how companies generate revenue. In the early days, licensing was the standard, but the rise of the cloud introduced new ways to monetize infrastructure. Modern models often focus on taking a percentage of revenue that flows through the system. This align the software provider's success directly with the customer's growth, creating a more sustainable and collaborative business environment.

    • •Early startups pioneered monetization strategies beyond traditional licensing.
    • •The SaaS model shifted the focus toward managing infrastructure for clients.
    • •Companies began taking a percentage of top-line revenue as a service fee.
    • •Real-time inventory management was a major breakthrough in early web software.
    • •The dot-com boom accelerated the transition to web-based business tools.
    • •Modern multi-tenant cloud systems evolved from these early experimental models.
    • •Providing demand generation became as important as providing the software itself.

    Lessons from Tech Legends and Early Innovation

    Andrew’s career began at a startup influenced by some of the most famous names in technology. Having Andy Grove and Hasso Plattner on the board provided a unique perspective on market leadership. These early experiences focused on integrating supply chain software with emerging web technologies. This era laid the groundwork for how large-scale enterprise systems operate in a connected, digital-first world.

    • •Kisslo joined an early startup backed by Intel and SAP leadership.
    • •The board featured Andy Grove, the legendary founder of Intel.
    • •Hasso Plattner of SAP provided a vision for global enterprise software.
    • •Early projects focused on giving legacy software a modern web front end.
    • •Major brands like Adidas were early adopters of these digital tools.
    • •The startup environment taught lessons in scalability and rapid growth.
    • •Historical patterns in technology cycles tend to repeat over time.

    Bridging Front-End Experience and Backend Power

    A major theme in modern technology is making complex systems easy to use. The collaboration between Microsoft and SAP is a prime example of this trend. By integrating Microsoft Outlook with SAP's backend, companies allowed users to perform complex tasks within a familiar interface. This integration of front-end applications and backend logic is essential for driving user adoption and operational efficiency in large organizations.

    • •Microsoft and SAP collaborated to link user applications with backend data.
    • •Integrating Outlook with billing systems simplified daily business tasks.
    • •Users benefit when complex systems are hidden behind familiar interfaces.
    • •Andrew spent time at Microsoft working on Azure and Office integrations.
    • •The goal was to meet the user where they already spend their time.
    • •Frontend user experience is now a critical part of enterprise software strategy.
    • •Cross-company partnerships are necessary to solve complex technical hurdles.

    The Transition from Channel to Ecosystem Marketing

    The terminology used in the industry has shifted from channel marketing to the more holistic partner ecosystem. This change reflects a move away from seeing partners as just a 'channel' for sales. Instead, they are now viewed as integral players in a two-sided marketplace. This shift recognizes the complex networks of trade and interaction that define modern software distribution and service delivery.

    • •The term Channel Marketing has largely evolved into Partner Marketing.
    • •Modern strategies focus on a two-sided marketplace for business growth.
    • •Partners are considered strategic assets rather than just sales agents.
    • •Trading networks and exchange platforms have become more sophisticated.
    • •The 'ecosystem' approach values long-term collaboration over one-off sales.
    • •Technology at the frontier requires partners who can add specialized value.
    • •Building an ecosystem requires a deep understanding of partner business models.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Key Takeaways

    Partner EmpowermentEmpower partners to discuss products as effectively as the parent company.
    SaaS TransitionShift focus to top-line revenue sharing and infrastructure management with SaaS models.
    Cloud DynamicsAdapt partner strategies to the new scale and speed of cloud adoption.
    System IntegrationBridge the gap between front-end applications and complex backend systems.
    Marketing ExecutionRecognize that partner marketing is challenging due to diverse business needs.
    Software InnovationBuild on early supply chain software to create modern cloud solutions.
    Ecosystem EvolutionEmbrace a more integrated and collaborative business strategy with partner ecosystems.
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