Kaspersky to debut Australian office

Russian anti-virus vendor targets local growth as it increases its corporate focus.

Riding a wave of consumer success in its home markets, Kaspersky has unveiled plans to land global deals and more corporate business.

The vendor has gathered partners from across the globe at its 10th annual partner conference in St Petersberg, Russia.

Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky, told CRN the firm is slowly diversifying its business in the next year with its new corporate line of products.

"We plan to open the Australian office in Q4 calendar year. I think the office will be in Melbourne, Sydney is too expensive,", he said. "We have plans to be closer to our customers around the globe, so alongside the Australian office we are opening offices in Latin America and the Middle East countries to be ready for the global contracts."

"Our strategy is still partner-based and our new offices are not replacements for our partners, they will help the partners."

Last year only eight percent of Kaspersky's global sales came from the Asia-Pacific region, but the vendor will be increasing its focus on the local market moving forward.

Alexey Gromyko, business development manager for A/NZ at Kaspersky, said the Australian office will offer partners better support from both a technical and marketing perspective.

"We have new management structures, new structures for partnerships and are witnessing booming achievements only a few months after the changes. It is important that we do not plan any direct business, as we value our channel," he said.