Industry veteran Merrie Williamson has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Customer and Revenue Officer (CCRO) by global data center colocation and interconnection provider Equinix. Merrie Williamson’s appointment takes effect on March 25. Having held executive positions at Microsoft and Intel for over 20 years, Williamson would bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Equinix.
Merrie Williamson will oversee Equinix’s whole customer experience and overall go-to-market strategy in her role as CCRO. This covers the company’s regional management across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific areas, as well as sales, marketing, customer care and experience, and revenue operations.
Additionally, Williamson will be able to use the company’s partner network and technological capabilities to create desired customer experiences and help companies take advantage of new markets like private artificial intelligence. She will work as an executive staff member of Equinix, answering to CEO Charles Meyers.
“Merrie is an operational and visionary leader with the unique skills and experience to help drive the next chapter of our growth and the increasing value we provide to customers,” said Charles Meyers, President and CEO of Equinix. “She also has extensive experience aligning complex go-to-market (GTM) organizations to deliver revenue growth. Her proven track record positions her well to build new routes to market, strengthen existing revenue streams, and continue our journey to becoming a true platform company.”
Karl Strohmyer was Equinix’s Chief Customer and Revenue Officer until last month. We don’t know Merrie Williamson’s exact salary at Equinix, but we’re certain she will have a very lucrative position. Karl Strohmeyer earned a total of $9,110,489 in 2022 for the same job, in that one year alone, according to Salary.com, which included both a fixed income and Equinix shares.
Entering the Age of AI and Multicloud
Merrie WilliamsonPrior to this, Merrie Williamson held the position of Corporate Vice President at Microsoft for Azure Infrastructure, Digital and Application Innovation. In this position, she oversaw a worldwide team that helped clients from all sectors, industries, and regions benefit from the cloud and digital transformation. She was also in charge of the core multibillion-dollar Azure business’s commercial sales strategy and execution.
“For years, Equinix has played an important role in providing the digital infrastructure critical for enterprises as their businesses become increasingly digital,” said Merrie Williamson. “As we enter the age of AI and multicloud as the architecture of choice, I am thrilled to be part of the platform that is enabling the success of thousands of companies globally. In addition to the world-class services it provides, Equinix also has a compelling vision where technology and company culture combine to drive outstanding business outcomes.”
Williamson worked at Intel for twenty years before joining Microsoft in 2019. She advanced from technical program manager to Senior Director of Data Center Sales and Marketing through a series of progressively senior positions. Typically, she led strategic product investments from conception to launch in emerging business areas and brought together internal stakeholders, outside partners, and sales teams to drive revenue growth.
Community service is something Merrie Williamson is really committed to. She has held positions on the boards of the Seattle YMCA, where she chaired the organization for two years, and MESA, a STEM pipeline for underserved schools in Seattle. Her commitment is on providing chances for women and other marginalized groups in STEM fields, sales, and the technology sector at large. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. and an M.S. in Industrial Science.
