NetApp names Puneet Gupta to lead UK and Ireland operations

NetApp has announced a major leadership shift as Puneet Gupta, one of its most experienced regional heads, takes charge of the UK and Ireland business. The move comes at a time when global demand for data platforms, AI readiness, and cloud-driven modernization remains high.

A familiar leader takes on a new market

Gupta has spent the past five years leading NetApp’s India sales team. During this period, he helped reposition the company in a fast-growing market and expanded its presence among large enterprises. He now steps into the role of Area Vice President for the UK and Ireland, effective immediately.

With more than three decades in business management, sales, and channel strategy, he brings experience from previous roles at Tech Mahindra, Cisco, and IBM. Across these roles, he worked with enterprises adapting their IT strategies to meet shifting business demands.

Giovanna Sangiorgi, Senior VP and General Manager for EMEA and LATAM, said Gupta’s arrival is expected to deepen customer engagement and introduce fresh ideas. She added that his leadership will support the broader regional teams as they continue developing NetApp’s data and cloud services.

Known for team culture and customer focus

Inside NetApp, Gupta is recognized for building collaborative and energetic teams. Colleagues describe his management style as people-focused, with an emphasis on shared goals and strong engagement. His leadership helped shape NetApp India’s growth and contributed to its position in the storage and data management market.

His efforts have also earned him recognition outside the company. Economic Times named him among “Asia’s Promising Business Leaders” for two different periods, while Marksmen Daily listed him as one of its influential leaders. Gupta holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and an engineering degree from IIT Banaras Hindu University.

Gupta sets the tone for the next phase

Speaking about his new position, Gupta said he is excited to join the UK and Ireland team as it navigates a changing technology landscape. He shared that he looks forward to working closely with colleagues and partners across all business segments. He also highlighted the opportunities surrounding AI investments and the growing need for strong data infrastructure.

A strategic appointment for a data-driven era

NetApp describes itself as an Intelligent Data Infrastructure company. For more than 30 years, it has worked with global enterprises through different waves of technology change. Its data platform supports storage, data protection, and cloud operations, and integrates automation through tools such as the AI Data Engine and AFX.

The company highlights that its platform connects and manages data across clouds and workloads, with its ONTAP software acting as the foundation. NetApp’s approach separates storage, services, and control layers to help customers scale and modernize without vendor lock-in. As the only enterprise storage platform built directly into the world’s largest public clouds, it aims to offer consistent performance and governance wherever workloads run.

Gupta’s appointment signals the company’s focus on strengthening leadership in major markets while preparing customers for the next wave of AI-driven transformation. With data becoming central to innovation and risk management, NetApp expects strong demand in the UK and Ireland.