Sage appoints Gretchen O’Hara to accelerate partner ecosystem growth and customer innovation

O’Hara brings more than 25 years of experience in channel sales, business development, and ecosystem transformation. 

Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll software for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), today announced the appointment of Gretchen O’Hara as EVP Strategic Partnerships & Business Development. 

O’Hara brings more than 25 years of experience in channel sales, business development, and ecosystem transformation. She is recognised globally as a channel leader, a strong advocate for partners, and a long-standing champion for women in technology and sustainability. 

 “Joining Sage at this pivotal moment presents an incredible opportunity. The company’s vision, culture, and commitment to customers and partners create a strong foundation for continued growth. With Sage’s brand strength and its innovation in AI for SMBs, we’re well positioned to expand the partner ecosystem, open new routes to market, and deliver solutions that drive real business outcomes,” says Gretchen O’Hara, EVP Strategic Partnerships & Business Development, Sage. 

In her new role, O’Hara will focus on scaling Sage’s partner ecosystem, accelerating growth through new and existing business models, and unlocking opportunities for partners and customers by harnessing the power of AI and cloud innovation. 

“Gretchen’s experience in scaling ecosystems, driving partner profitability, and delivering customer outcomes positions her to accelerate high performance across the channel. With her leadership, we’ll bring AI and innovation to the forefront, helping partners accelerate time to revenue and create new growth opportunities that deliver greater value for SMBs,” says Eduardo Rosini, Chief Commercial Officer, Sage. 

O’Hara joins Sage from Splunk, a Cisco company, where she was Vice President of Worldwide Channels and Alliances. As Splunk’s Channel Chief, she led the evolution of the global partner ecosystem and strategy, building alliances with hyperscalers and global systems integrators to support customers in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Prior to Splunk, she spent 18 years at Microsoft, where she held executive roles in AI, sustainability, and go-to-market strategy, driving partner profitability, transformation, and innovation across the cloud ecosystem. She is consistently recognised as one of CRN’s 50 Most Influential Channel Chiefs.