Ping Identity names Antony Collins to lead APJ channels

Ping Identity has appointed Antony Collins as Regional Vice President for Channels and Alliances across Asia Pacific and Japan, tasking him with expanding partner relationships and driving growth through its regional ecosystem.

Collins will oversee the company's channel and alliance strategy across the region. His remit includes strengthening partnerships and supporting customers as organisations place greater emphasis on identity security, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence.

Leadership role

Collins brings more than 25 years of experience across Asia Pacific and Japan. His background includes building partner ecosystems and scaling revenue through channel-led strategies.

He joins Ping Identity at a time when the company is focusing on identity management in environments shaped by AI adoption. The company said the role will centre on enabling partners to deliver identity solutions across workforce systems, third-party access, and customer identity use cases.

"We're excited to welcome Antony to Ping Identity at such a pivotal time," said Ash Diffey, Vice President, ANZ, Ping Identity. "As we expand our strategic partnerships across the region, our focus on runtime identity and Identity for AI creates a significant opportunity for our customers and partners to solve new challenges and grow together."

Partner strategy

A central part of Collins' responsibilities will be scaling the company's partner ecosystem across Asia Pacific and Japan. This includes supporting partners in deploying identity services that address both human and non-human identities.

Ping Identity has been positioning its platform to address emerging requirements around AI systems. These include securing AI agents through authentication and access control processes that operate in real time.

The company's regional strategy reflects broader demand among enterprises for identity frameworks that can manage increasingly complex digital environments. This includes managing access across cloud, hybrid, and on-premise systems.

Industry shift

The appointment comes as organisations expand their use of AI-driven applications and services. This shift has created new requirements for identity verification, particularly where automated systems interact with enterprise infrastructure.

Ping Identity has highlighted "runtime identity" as a key focus area. This approach centres on continuous identity verification rather than static authentication processes. It is intended to support scenarios where access decisions must be made dynamically.

Collins is expected to work with partners to address these evolving requirements. The company said partners will play a key role in delivering identity solutions that can scale across different industries and regulatory environments.

Career background

Before joining Ping Identity, Collins held senior roles in enterprise software and digital adoption platforms. He most recently worked at WalkMe, where he served as Vice President of Partnerships and Channels for Asia Pacific and Japan.

In that role, he built the partner function and expanded the company's ecosystem across the region. His tenure included growth in partner-influenced revenue and the development of certified partner capabilities.

Prior to WalkMe, Collins spent more than seven years at ServiceNow. There, he established and scaled the company's global system integrator partnership business across Asia Pacific and Japan.

Regional focus

Asia Pacific and Japan remain key markets for identity security providers. Enterprises in the region are investing in digital transformation initiatives that require robust identity frameworks.

Ping Identity's channel-led approach reflects the need to work with local partners that understand regulatory requirements and customer needs in different markets.

Collins is expected to play a role in aligning partner strategies with the company's broader product direction. This includes supporting customers as they integrate identity solutions into AI-driven environments.

"I'm excited to join Ping Identity and lead Channels and Alliances across APJ," said Collins, Regional Vice President, APJ Channels and Alliances, Ping Identity. "With the shift to runtime identity, Ping is uniquely positioned to secure AI agents through real-time authentication and access control. I look forward to working closely with our partners and customers to address evolving identity challenges and drive growth."