Quest appoints Angela Maniscalco as APJ channel lead as it revamps local partner program

Maniscalco wants to support partners to evolve from product sellers into transformation advisors for customers.

Quest Software has appointed Angela Maniscalco as head of channel, APJ, and launched a refreshed partner strategy across Australia offering more visibility, faster support and less friction.

“Our sharpened focus means aligning our field teams with yours, giving partners earlier access to roadmap updates and making it easier to bring deals to life,” Maniscalco told CRN Australia.

The mantra is more time in the field, not just webinars or portal updates, and that includes faster access to technical support and clearer certification tracks.

“It also means being transparent — if something isn’t working, we want to hear it. This is a partnership in the truest sense, and we’re accountable for making it work,” she added.

After five years leading sales across the region, Maniscalco brings deep data transformation expertise to this wider role and will focus on enhanced enablement, certification pathways and partner benefits.

“Australian partners are quick to adapt, fast to execute and incredibly customer-focused. That’s why this region is such a priority for us,” Maniscalco told CRN Australia.

Partners can expect regional bootcamps, real-world labs and scenario-based certification that maps to the way partners deliver solutions. Quest will also strengthening deal registration and expanding co-sell support.

“So if a partner is helping a public-sector client secure Active Directory and modernise Exchange, we’ll be aligned from design to deployment with the right resources at every step,” Maniscalco said.

Quest will also offer additional support to partners in finance, government and healthcare where trust, compliance and speed are critical.

“Partners serving these sectors need more than just products. They need use-case validation, local compliance insight, and fast answers,” she said.

Quest will also develop dedicated technical support, industry-specific solution playbooks and tighter field alignment geared towards regulated industries.

“Partners can walk into a healthcare or finance deal with confidence,” she added.

Supporting partners to evolve into trusted advisors

In recent years, Maniscalco has worked alongside many partners and witnessed their evolution from product experts to true transformation partners. Many partners are now leading major cloud, security and data governance initiatives across regulated sectors.

“What’s changed is how much closer they’re getting to the business. The best partners aren’t waiting for IT to define the problem, they’re sitting at the table with the CISO or the head of risk. That shift is driving the way we support them,” she told CRN.

One of the biggest challenges, however, is that partners are expected to be data experts, identity defenders and trusted advisors — all at once.

She’s seen first-hand how they need help scaling delivery and standing out in a crowded market beyond just selling solutions.

“That’s where Quest can do more, with tools that work and support that shows up when it matters. It’s not about selling harder; it’s about solving smarter,” she ended.