Vince Menzione

Founder of Cloud Wave Partners LLC

I help technology leaders thrive in an era of rapid, tectonic change—mastering Microsoft, AWS, and Google partnerships to drive growth, innovation, and impact.

From scaling startups to leading a $4.6B business at Microsoft, I’ve learned one enduring truth: success is built on meaningful connections—between people, ideas, and opportunities. And the multiplier is always trust.

I was raised in a close-knit Italian family in New Jersey. My grandfather arrived in the U.S. with $20 in his pocket and built sustainable businesses through grit and determination. My dad—an Army veteran of WWII—taught me that integrity and trust aren’t “nice to have.” They’re everything. Those lessons became the foundation of my leadership.

I’ve spent my career building—and rebuilding—organizations through partnerships:

In the startup world, I helped scale a company from $6M to $125M and to a successful public exit.

At General Dynamics, I turned around a struggling division—driving exponential growth, securing $20M in defense appropriations, and delivering roughly a third of the company’s revenue by aligning partners around execution.

Then came nearly a decade at Microsoft, where I led the U.S. Public Sector Partner business through a major transformation. We grew revenue from $2.5B to $4.6B, helped shape the modern cloud reseller model, and built high-performing teams known for alignment, results, and credibility.

But along the way, I saw a gap: leaders didn’t just need strategy decks. They needed focus, practical frameworks, and a trusted space to learn from one another.

So in 2017, I founded Ultimate Partner® to be that compass for technology leaders navigating ecosystem-led growth. Through the Ultimate Guide to Partnering® podcast (270+ episodes) and Ultimate Partner LIVE events, I bring together top voices from Microsoft, AWS, Google, and the broader partner ecosystem. I also developed the 8 Principles of Partnering Success—a practical framework leaders use to align strategy and drive measurable outcomes.

My mission is simple: empower leaders and their organizations to grow with clarity, connection, and credibility—building partnerships that scale with purpose.

If you’re building in the hyperscaler ecosystem—and want to grow faster, execute better, and lead with trust—let’s connect.

Founder

Over six years ago, I embarked on a mission to empower partners struggling to navigate the complex world of tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and AWS. 

Having witnessed the industry from multiple perspectives – leading a $4.6 billion Ecosystem at Microsoft, spearheading partnerships for a billion-dollar company, and hosting 200 episodes of the Ultimate Guide to Partnering®, I’ve gained invaluable insights and crafted a manifesto of principles to guide your success.

In an era defined by tectonic shifts, such as the global pandemic, economic headwinds, and the rise of AI, the role of hyperscalers has become increasingly critical. With investments of billions of dollars in ecosystems, technology, and customer acquisition costs, they have secured over $200 billion in customer commitments to durable cloud budgets. We stand on the precipice of a marketplace moment where simplifying and streamlining economic models associated with co-selling and ecosystem-led growth will shape the decade ahead.

Yet, as vendors and organizations demand more from us while resources diminish, we ask, “Where do we go? How do we navigate these seismic shifts? How do we thrive during this decade of the ecosystem?”

If you’re a partner, you’re likely grappling with these questions. The watering holes of the past no longer offer the guidance required to transform into a Cloud GTM and embrace Ecosystem Led Growth. That’s why Ultimate Partner exists – to be your trusted compass amidst the noise.

Visit our website, tune into Ultimate Guide to Partnering and join The Ultimate Partner LIVE events.

Home Technology Advisor

Chief Financial Officer

SEMESTRY (A Tribal Group Company)

It’s no secret that learning experiences are changing. From hybrid to hyflex, socially distant to social learning, today’s learners and instructors want more flexibility and choice. To keep up, you’re being asked to rethink how you plan curriculum and schedule resources to support not just changing academic priorities but also the individual needs of students and staff. And that’s no easy task.

At Semestry, we believe timetabling isn’t just about creating schedules. It’s about surfacing insights – ones that enhance curriculum planning. And it’s about managing the inevitable complexity of scheduling constraints.

Through our smart, dynamic timetabling technology, we help surface the information you need to enable flexible use of educational resources and provide greater transparency into your curriculum design. And that allows you to provide a richer experience for students and faculty that integrates seamlessly into their everyday lives.
 
Simply put: we help you deliver the right schedules for everyone.

Business Development Lead ANZ 

AgylisANZ (business owner)

Guiding Individuals and Business to gain new Skills - Personal Skills and Business Skills. Podcast Show Future Skills - Future Career - How to gain new skills to get that new role at Work - or the new Job you really want.  Structured methods to build your Future Business Skills.

Assisted development of Corporate Skills and the development of the Australian Business marketplace with US based Degreed (14 months)  

Sole Representation in ANZ for Agylia Group Ltd -  LMS products and skill based e-learning courses - Entry to and development of, the ANZ marketplace (1.7 years)

How to Learn new Skills to build the best Career path you can. Podcast series.   

Get the skills you need now and the skills you need next - What Skills do I need? Corporate Business -  For business know what skills you have in your people now - what are the Skills gaps?

AgylisANZ - Future Skills, Future Workplace Skills

ELEARNINGFORCE

ELEARNINGFORCE - LMS365 for all your Learning Management System and eLearning needs, get access in hours not weeks to a world class Learning Management System (LMS) solution that is simple to use, fully developed in the Microsoft® Platform - native Office 365.  LMS365 is intuitive to use and familiar to all Microsoft® users.

Business Development and Corporate Strategy

Blackboard

Helping key Australian Higher Education Institutions to gain value and insight into education delivery systems utilising their investments in current technology, Learning Management Systems and services to improve education outcomes. Delivering class leading Cloud and SaaS solutions for HE LMS, On-line Collaboration, Video Management solutions and 24x7 Support Services and Transaction based services for access, security and payment services.
I have always adopted a ‘lead from the front, and challenge ‘the status quo’ perspective. I maintain absolute clarity that Strategy follows the Vision, and good execution comes from clear, co-developed strategic engagement.

Strategic Account Director

SalesUp Pty Ltd

Independent consultant specialising in ICT Sales & Services - Consulting and educating Business/Sales leaders on building high performance sales teams.

Principal Consultant

PLAUT IT Australia

Plaut is a specialist services supplier of SAP skills, resources and IP for BI, Supply Chain, Financials and compliance, HR and AM to large SAP corporate users.

Branch Manager South Australia

Prosell

Franchise owner for SA & NT business focused on building and improving Sales and Marketing, Sales processes, Coaching and Management for SME and Corporate customers.
Analysing business issues and problems and building and delivering effective sales strategies, sales planning and execution.

Analysing business issues and problems and building and delivering effective
sales strategies, sales planning and execution to resolve and grow the business.

Utilised ‘Blue Ocean’ strategic thinking as well as applying Prosell templates and models for sales and marketing strategies, planning comprehensive sales execution delivery systems 

Assisting both Corporate and SME businesses delivering business performance and execution planning with go to market and operational planning

Provided Sales Management coaching training, and sales performance improvement systems and processes for sales and marketing individuals and teams. 

Undertook comprehensive analysis of short, medium and long term business goals delivering strategies with supporting ongoing management systems and processes to maintain effective delivery of goals to business outcomes.

Additionally undertook coaching to business owners under the ‘Entrepreneurial Business Systems Program’ to new businesses in SA, a University of Adelaide ECIC initiative (Australian Government funded initiative under AusIndustry).

Practice Director - Prosell SA/NT - Franchise owner for SA/NT

Microsoft

Overall State responsibility for all Sales, State Leadership, Executive relationships and Operational aspects of Microsoft business in SA. Meeting all sales targets and product deployments, Technical Pre-sales, Support Services and revenue goals to drive overall growth. Leading a global team of highly skilled and talented consulting and support staff for customer on-site projects, skills presentations and learning updates.

Member of the National Enterprise 
Public Sector 
and Education leadership teams

Managed strategic engagement with Customers (Corporate and Govt/Education), local software industry solution providers and their development in the Microsoft technologies.  Improved and deepened key executive relationships at the ‘C’ level ensuring entire (local and virtual) account team remained focused on customer experience from a long term customer retention perspective.  Provided a consistent view of Microsoft for customers and partners at sales, consulting and technical support levels.

Overall State responsibility for all Sales, Product and Operational aspects of Microsoft business in SA

Undertook weekly, monthly and quarterly business reporting on all pipe-line measures including key strategies for pipe-line growth, product penetration by segment and retaining relevant pipe-line ratio’s

Owned all high level sales relationships at Executive, ‘C’ Level and Government Executives

Responsible for Channel Experience – Developer, OEM, SI, Consulting, Licenses (LAR) and Partner

Responsible for the overall territory and Partner solution coverage framework, planning and delivery.  Comprehensive coverage of Microsoft application platform and infrastructure delivery across all managed segments.

Developed and maintained core account and territory plans which identify opportunities, risks and resources necessary to accelerate business volumes, feeding inputs into Regional annual reviews.

State Director

Dynix (Ameritech Library Services)

Library Automation software Sales, regional APAC software development, and support of entire Library automation solutions.  Australian, NZ and Asian region Library industry growth with the creation and development of direct sales and sales channels throughout Asia. Major sales to Shanghai City Library, Shanghai University and Jaio Tong University.

Group Marketing and Asian Region Sales Manager

I'm keen to offer my experience to assist others. Please reach-out directly to me if I can help Thanks John 
A career in IT Leadership, Team leadership, Business planning, International software sales and market development - coupled with a life-long-learning drive. Has led me to spend the last period translating business lessons into Learning futures. Sales, Consulting and Operational leadership including nearly a decade as State Director @ Microsoft. A clear approach to Corporate Strategy and Development - running and developing 'cross team collaboration approaches', designing & building strategies, developing new skills to meet new market demands. 

The core principle of my career has been 'Strategy'. Strategy above all else, to understand, to analyse and reflect on what, how and  why products or services matter, and to whom they matter most. Identify and develop new strategies to evolve and grow clients positive outcomes with new technical solutions.  Explore how as a team we could make this better. Better for the customers, better for consumers of our customers solutions, products or services.  Technology and ICT leadership roles have often found me serving as an Orchestra conductor. Looking at multi-layered, complex situations. As I begin to see the dots, align and realign every variable until I have found a new configuration - then re-join the dots.  I love outcomes that are innovative & productive, but are also the most individually empowering. Being an Orchestral leader has taught me the importance of having well-laid plans, while retaining the ability to switch directions instantly to maintain the ability to adapt to something brand new. ‘Innovation and Creative thinking', are my paramount concerns.  I’ve always figured, hire the best and smartest people you can – then leave them alone to be smart people…recognise & reward smart thinking and innovation.

IT leadership, specialist knowledge in Corporate, Education and Government segments in Australia. A strong believer that 'customer centric action' is the point where Sales, Consulting and Customer Service meet with Client satisfaction and Partnership.  Fostering consulting approaches to Sales Operations, Business Operations and breaking down individual silos to create holistic team goals shared by vendor and customer together. 
A keen focus on Higher Education futures, SaaS, Cloud and new technologies - challenging the status-quo.

"Lead with Innovation', the rest will follow".

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Vince Menzione

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