CIO Influence Interview with Gregg Rowe, Chief Channel Officer at Globalgig

Gregg Rowe, Chief Channel Officer at Globalgig chats about SD-WAN, and managed network services for enterprise connectivity and the challenges affecting global connectivity norms…

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Hello, Gregg… How has your journey from electrical engineering to leading channel strategies shaped your perspective?

Honestly, it shaped everything. My background in electrical engineering gave me a mindset that’s been with me every step of the way. Engineering teaches you how to break things down, assess a system, and solve problems in a methodical, structured way—and that’s exactly what I do now, just on the business side.

When you’re in engineering, everything is about troubleshooting. You’re looking at cause and effect, making decisions based on data, and always thinking a few steps ahead. That problem-solving DNA is what I brought into the channel world. Channel is a Venn diagram consisting of circles representing customers, partners, collaborators, and ourselves. It’s all about understanding where the interests align and getting all of the parties focused on that alignment. Channel is not about solving one problem correctly, but rather mastering the process to increase the probability that most problems and alignments are solved correctly.

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In an industry where hyperconnectivity is the set standard, what gaps do you see in current channel ecosystems, and how is Globalgig reengineering partnerships to bridge them?

The biggest gap I see is a myopic focus on the transaction of connectivity. Customers are seeking a transparent, full-stack solution, even when the request starts with only connectivity. Why is that connectivity needed; what is the impact of losing it; what level of security does the business require; how do they monitor and manage it; how do they see and fix a small problem before it becomes a big one; [and] what is the experience of the customer’s customer, whether they are in an office or working remotely? Many channel ecosystems today are built around transactional relationships, such as circuit resale, hardware bundles, and bolt-on services. Too few are having a full, wholistic discussion about the complete network and security stack and how to monitor and manage it all. There is a tectonic shift happening with single-vendor SASE that requires full-stack discovery and problem-solving. This requires a process that starts with the desired end state two to five years down the road and works backward to create a sustainable solution that can evolve with the customer’s business.

At Globalgig, we’re flipping that model. We’re partnering with folks who see the long game—partners who want to co-own outcomes, not just close deals. That means integrating into our platform, aligning on service delivery, and building value on top of connectivity. The relationship doesn’t end when the circuit turns up—that’s when it starts. We’re engineering partnerships that solve real problems, not just sell SKUs.

Share what you foresee about SD-WAN and managed network services redefining enterprise connectivity strategies.

SD-WAN is so 2019. Solutions today are all about SD-WAN and Security, which is SASE. Managed Services for SASE is all about proactivity, context, and cutting through the noise to hear the message. More often than not, multiple small things happen at once and slow down the diagnostic and mitigation process. The key is putting all of the small things into context so you diagnose and mitigate the root problem faster. This is the evolution of Managed Services for SASE.  

What they really want is a way to make the whole thing work. Smarter tools, better visibility, less firefighting. That’s where orchestration comes in. When you’ve got a platform that can sit on top of whatever you’ve already got—optimize traffic, monitor performance, spot issues before users do—that’s when it starts to click.

You don’t need to rip and replace everything. You just need a smarter way to manage it. Managed SASE with Orchestration makes that possible. Done right, it takes the network from being a constant headache to something that actually works for the business, making it a strategic advantage.

What unconventional strategies have you implemented at Globalgig to disrupt traditional channel models?

One of the biggest things we’ve done is stop leading with connectivity. Sounds backward, right? But think about it—every customer already has circuits. They’ve already gone through that pain. So, instead of showing up with a spreadsheet full of new quotes, we lead with visibility. We ask, “How are you managing what you already have?

That shifts the conversation completely. Suddenly, we’re not another telco trying to sell bandwidth—we’re a partner helping solve a visibility and support problem. And by offering that managed layer first—before ever talking about porting a single connection—we’ve built more trust, landed bigger deals, and turned short-term sales into long-term relationships. That’s the playbook we’re running with.

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If you had to challenge one prevailing misconception about enterprise connectivity, what would it be?

The idea that putting everything with one provider magically fixes things—that’s the myth. Customers think, “If I aggregate all my circuits under one roof, I’ll have simplicity.” But what they get is a single bill and maybe fewer vendor calls. What they don’t get is true control.

Aggregation without observability is just consolidation. It doesn’t tell you what’s working, what’s failing, or why. That’s why we focus on putting a management and monitoring layer over what already exists. You don’t need to rip and replace. You just need to see what’s going on, in real time, across every element of your network. That’s what changes the game.

Which of these—speed, scalability, and security—do you see as the biggest challenge for global connectivity today, and how can enterprises stay ahead?

They’re all important, but if I had to choose, I’d go with security. The stakes are too high, and the threats are getting more complex every day. But honestly, even that answer misses the point. The real challenge—the thing that underpins all three—is observability.

You can’t scale what you can’t see. You can’t secure what you don’t understand. And you can’t optimize speed if you’re blind to performance metrics. Enterprises that are staying ahead? They’re investing in visibility. They’re deploying tools that turn their network from a black box into a source of insight. That’s how you win—not just by adding more but by seeing more.

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