Dell names Richard McLaughlin APJC regional president

Dell Technologies has appointed Richard McLaughlin as president for its Asia Pacific, Japan & Greater China (APJC) region, putting a long-serving sales executive in charge of strategy and revenue across one of its largest international markets.

McLaughlin succeeds Peter Marrs, who is moving into a senior leadership role in North America. McLaughlin will be based in the region and will report to Pete Trizzino, president of global sales.

The remit covers Australia and New Zealand, Greater China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and South Asia and Emerging Markets. It includes mature enterprise markets and fast-growing economies, where demand for data centre infrastructure, PCs and services remains closely tied to cloud adoption, cyber security spending and early corporate investment in generative AI.

Regional priorities

As regional president, McLaughlin will lead corporate strategy and sales across APJC. The role typically includes oversight of major customer accounts, partner relationships and execution across product lines, from client devices to servers, storage and networking, alongside services and support.

Dell has positioned APJC as a market where large organisations are reassessing infrastructure plans in response to shifting AI requirements and evolving data governance. Across the sector, vendors are also adjusting leadership and go-to-market structures as customers seek clearer guidance on where AI workloads should run and how they will be managed.

Trizzino linked the appointment to McLaughlin's experience with large customers. "Rich's global expertise and customer-first mindset created meaningful outcomes for customers worldwide. I'm confident he will build on that momentum and drive continued growth in APJC," Trizzino said.

He also recognised Marrs's work in the region. "I'd also like to thank Peter for his leadership in APJC and look forward to his continued impact in his new role in North America," Trizzino said.

Sales background

McLaughlin most recently served as a senior vice president in Dell's sales organisation, overseeing a global team working with multinational corporations. The role focused on large-account strategy and cross-border deal execution-experience that often translates into regional leadership at global technology suppliers.

He joined Dell in 1999 and has held a series of executive positions, including vice president for the Americas and director for global accounts in financial services. Financial services has been a source of sustained IT spend in many APJC markets, driven by regulatory requirements, core-system modernisation and competition from digital-native entrants.

Before joining Dell, McLaughlin held sales leadership roles at IBM/Tivoli, Compuware, Princeton Softech and NCR. His experience spans enterprise software, systems management tools and technology services, as well as operational and retail systems associated with NCR.

McLaughlin said the appointment reflects growth prospects in the region and the importance of ecosystem collaboration. "We have tremendous opportunity in APJC, and I'm honoured to take on this role working alongside our talented teams, valued customers and trusted partners," he said.

He also pointed to AI adoption and operational change. "With a strong portfolio of solutions and a culture of innovation, we will help our customers embrace the power of AI, simplify processes and navigate this exciting new era of technology. Together, we'll accelerate growth and achieve even greater success in this dynamic and important market," McLaughlin said.

People focus

Dell described McLaughlin as focused on team development, customer relationships and community involvement. Leadership continuity and internal succession have been recurring themes for global vendors as they compete for talent in sales, channel management and solution architecture across APJC.

McLaughlin holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University College of Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, with a concentration in finance, from Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Marrs's move leaves Dell's APJC business under new leadership as enterprise customers balance AI experimentation with cost control and security requirements. McLaughlin now takes charge of regional strategy and sales execution as organisations across APJC expand AI-related projects and review infrastructure roadmaps.