www.technologyreseller.uk THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL NEWS & RESOURCE FOR MSPS, IT RESELLERS & SUPPORT PROVIDERS TECHNOLOGY RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT ONLINE SINCE 2016 Supercharge Your Productivity: The Future of Work with HP’s Next-Gen AI PCs VIEW FROM THE CHANNEL PAGE 16 With Simon Pickering, Managing Director of dbfb CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PAGE 20 How 8x8 is transforming CX and developing new opportunities for channel partners TECHNOLOGY RESELLER AWARDS 2025 PAGE 10 It’s time to vote for your favourite distie
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03 CONTENTS technologyreseller.co.uk ISSN 2632-9301 (Print) ISSN 2632-931X (Online) Technology Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 7 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.technologyreseller.co.uk No part of Technology Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. © 2025 Kingswood Media Ltd. Editor: James Goulding 07803 087228 · [email protected] Publishing Director, Social Media and Web Editor: Neil Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] Advertising Director: Ethan White 01732 759725 · [email protected] Events & Commercial activities: Paul Johnson 01732 759725 · [email protected] Account Manager: Jeff Root 01732 759725 · [email protected] Designer: Brian Cloke 07484 288189 If you no longer wish to receive Technology Reseller magazine, please email your details to [email protected] Register online To receive your regular FREE printed copy of Technology Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form at www.technologyreseller.uk/register Read Technology Reseller online, on tablets and smart phones www.technologyreseller.uk Join us : Follow us technology-reseller-magazine technologyreseller.co.uk O4 Distributor News A round-up of this month’s new distribution agreements 10 Technology Reseller Awards 2025 Vote for your favourite distributor now! 12 Reseller News Red Helix invests £1 million in UK SOC, plus other channel news 16 View from the Channel With Simon Pickering, Managing Director of dbfb 18 Cover Story How HP is supercharging productivity with its Next Gen AI PCs 20 Customer Experience Emily Masterton explains how 8x8 is transforming the customer experience (CX) and developing new opportunities for channel partners 22 Logistics Driver alerts help Currys cut fuel bill by more than £400,000, while Cable Giants slashes paper use through automation 24 Connectivity Giacom and Sky Business Wholesale extend partnership with launch of game-changing broadband product 26 60 seconds With Chloe Schofield, Sales Manager, Brigantia Partners 28 MSPs New Kaseya study highlights the winning strategies of last year’s most successful MSPs. Plus, new research from Westcon‑Comstor reveals strong appetite to invest in CNAPP technologies 30 Partner Programmes AvePoint continues to industrialise its partner programme to maximise opportunities with its expanding data security, governance and resilience platform 33 Legal Alexandra Hammond explains what technology businesses must do to comply with DMCCA 2024 due to come into force this April 36 Tech Digest A round-up of the latest developments from leading and emerging technology providers 40 People New faces, new places TECHNOLOGY RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT ONLINE SINCE 2016
01732 759725 DISTRIBUTOR NEWS Arrow awarded exclusive distribution rights by Citrix Citrix, a business unit of Cloud Software Group, has signed a mid-market and sole distributor agreement with global technology provider Arrow Electronics covering North America and Europe. On March 3, 2025, Arrow will assume exclusive responsibility for servicing the Citrix mid-market and SMB business in North America and Europe before, on June 2, becoming the sole Citrix distributor for all channel partners in those regions. When engaging mid-market and SMB accounts, channel partners in these territories will work exclusively with Arrow. When engaging in enterprise accounts, channel partners will continue to work with Citrix, with Arrow serving as the distributor and Citrix providing support and software maintenance. Citrix is supporting this new arrangement with an incremental multimillion-dollar investment in partnerdedicated technical resources and channel partner support teams. Cedric Doignie, Vice President of New Models for Arrow’s Global Enterprise Computing Solutions Business, said: “Leveraging Arrow’s extensive channel partner network, reach and experience, we look forward to helping Citrix grow its install base, increase subscription conversions and drive further market expansion through this strategic agreement.” This agreement follows the transfer by Citrix, in October 2024, of responsibility for the sales, marketing and technical support for all MSP and ISV partners consuming fewer than 2,000 Citrix CSP licenses across North America and Europe to Arrow. … Westcoast partners with ALE in UK&I Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (ALE) has appointed Westcoast to distribute its full range of secure networking and communication solutions in the UK & Ireland. This includes network switches, Wi-Fi, IoT and communications solutions (on‑premises, hybrid and cloud), including the Rainbow UCaaS and CPaaS platform as well as ALE deskphones, mobile handsets, devices, contact centre solutions and tactical solutions for location services and asset tracking. Gerry O’Hanlon, ALE UKI Country Business Leader, said: “This collaboration marks a significant step in our strategy to expand our reach and deliver cutting-edge, secure networking and communication solutions to the UKI Channel. The collaboration is particularly exciting as it allows us to deepen our focus on our key verticals, Education, Government, Health, Transportation and Energy and Utilities, where Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s advanced networking and communications solutions can have a transformative impact.” www.westcoast.co.uk … MFA 2.0 now available from Brigantia Cybersecurity distributor Brigantia is giving partners a cutting-edge MFA 2.0 solution to combat credential phishing and passwordbased attacks in a new partnership with multi-factor authentication (MFA) specialist AuthN by IDEE. The partnership adds another layer to Brigantia’s portfolio of solutions, enabling partners to offer clients phishproof, passwordless, same-device MFA; frictionless, secure access without the hurdles of traditional MFA tools that work by pushing notifications via SMS, email, a second device or an authenticator app; continued... 04 TD SYNNEX credit lines surpass £2 billion Changes to partner business models and the need to support growing numbers of hybrid deployments have helped push the value of credit lines extended by TD SYNNEX to the UK channel beyond £2 billion. David Watts, TD SYNNEX’s Regional Vice President and Managing Director, UK and Ireland, believes credit services have become more important with the rise of subscriptions and services alongside technology sales. He said: “While end customer organisations may want to invest in new technologies and solutions, it is not always easy to allocate funding right away. In addition, most customers now want to use a mix of on-premises and cloud solutions, and both to purchase and own products outright and take advantage of subscription offerings. As a consequence, partners are having to manage ever-morecomplex installations and their business models are changing.” In addition to credit services, including the TD SYNNEX Credit Elevator, which enables partners to increase their credit limit automatically as they grow, TD SYNNEX provides flexible financing options through TD SYNNEX Capital. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ David Watts Cedric Doignie Arrow Nimans announces new additions to product offering Nimans is expanding its communication technology portfolio through a strategic distribution agreement with Intermedia, a global provider of AI-powered cloud communications, collaboration and customer engagement solutions. This follows a new Master Distribution Agreement between the Midwich Group company and ATL Telecom announced in November. Under the partnership with Intermedia, voice, video conferencing, chat, contact centre, archiving, file sharing/backup and Microsoft Teams integrations previously available from Nimans as NEC UNIVERGE BLUE products will be provided directly from Intermedia, supported by training, technical support and marketing resources. Philippe du Fou, EMEA Sales Director for Intermedia, said: “With AI-powered insights and automation built into our platform, businesses can improve decision-making, streamline operations and adapt quickly to changing demands. Nimans’ extensive network of resellers and deep industry expertise make them an ideal distribution partner.” At the end of last year, Nimans announced that it had become the primary distributor for ATL’s portfolio of telephony solutions and that business-grade full fibre connectivity provider ITS, which appointed Nimans Connect as a distributor in September, had become the official sponsor of a 1Gb fibre connection in Nimans’ presentation suite and demo room facility. www.nimans.net
This Christmas, Giacom extends heartfelt thanks to all our partners. Together, we’ve reached new heights, strengthened our businesses, and paved the way for a prosperous future. Our Cloud Market now connects over 6,000 providers with products and services from the world’s top vendors and carriers. Our range of automation tools and integrations will streamline your business ops. And, with our enablement resources and tech expertise, you can build the skills you need for the future. Imagine all we can achieve together in the New Year. Wishing you a joyful festive season. 03304 333 888 www.giacom.com what we can do together
01732 759725 DISTRIBUTOR NEWS Network Security grew by 4% but Endpoint Protection was down 7%, driven by falls of 12% and 11% in Germany and Italy respectively. France was the best performing country with 12% growth, boosted by its National Cybersecurity Strategy and initiatives like Cyber PME. The UK and Germany were up 1%, but in Italy the market contracted by 8%. A preference for flexible, service-based cybersecurity solutions amongst SMEs powered a 6% rise in SaaS adoption and a 9% increase in managed services, but traditional licences still dominate, growing by 4%. www.contextworld.com … TD SYNNEX and HP Hybrid Systems extend partnership HP Hybrid Systems has extended a longstanding partnership with TD SYNNEX in EMEA and appointed TD SYNNEX as a UK distributor of HP | Poly hybrid work solutions, giving partners access to HP’s full range of headsets, personal collaboration devices and video conferencing solutions. Professional AV and systems integrator and protection from the full spectrum of credential-based attacks. Brigantia Managing Director Angus Shaw said: “Our mission has always been to provide our partners with the most innovative and effective solutions available, and our partnership with AuthN by IDEE is a testament to that commitment. Its cutting-edge MFA 2.0 technology is a game-changer in the fight against credential phishing and password-based attacks.” www.brigantia.com … Infrastructure protection buoys European cybersecurity market The European cybersecurity distribution market achieved a 2% year-on-year (YoY) growth in 2024, according to market intelligence firm CONTEXT, with software solutions up 4% and hardware appliances down 6%. The area of greatest growth was Infrastructure Protection, which grew by 14%, including 20% in Q4, highlighting increased investment in advanced data security systems in response to the NIS2 Directive. partners can also take advantage of presales consulting, installation and support for HP | Poly’s immersive meeting room solutions delivered by TD SYNNEX Maverick. Neil Sawyer, SVP and Managing Director of HP Northwest Europe, said: “TD SYNNEX’s exceptional reach and expertise in AV and IT channels makes them an ideal partner to expand the reach of HP | Poly solutions in the UK. Together, we’re helping businesses create seamless, integrated collaboration experiences for every workspace and meet the demands of today’s hybrid workforce.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ … ThreatLocker partnering with Titan Data Solution Titan Data Solutions, a distributor of edge to cloud solutions and services that facilitate data storage, management and security, has added ThreatLocker, a leader in Zero Trust endpoint protection, to its cybersecurity portfolio. Instead of basing endpoint protection on the identification of malicious applications and suspicious activity, the ThreatLocker platform uses Zero Trust controls to ensure only explicitly allowed applications and processes can run on company devices, preventing unauthorised applications from launching. It reinforces this approach with Ringfencing, which applies the same ‘default-deny’ principles to control what an approved application can do and how it can interact with processes, files, data and the internet. As part of its unified protection for users, devices and networks, ThreatLocker’s endpoint protection platform also provides Elevation Control, Network Control, Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services. Keith Maskell, Head of Cybersecurity Sales at Titan Data Solutions, describes ThreatLocker’s default-deny solutions as a game-changer for endpoint security. He said: “ThreatLocker has cracked the problem of how to base endpoint security on allow-by-exception and Zero Trust process control, without overloading the customer’s IT team. This comprehensive solution, including both EDR and MDR options, delivers a new level of security that is needed against present and future threats. Threatlocker puts the security focus squarely back on effective prevention of breaches, saving time, money and stress in dealing with downstream events.” titandatasolutions.com ...continued 06 SenseOn to take flight with Kite Channel-first cybersecurity company SenseOn is aiming to boost sales of its adaptive AI-driven cybersecurity solutions through a new partnership with Kite Distribution. Combining NDR (Network Detection and Response), XDR (Extended Detection and Response), EPP (Endpoint Protection Platforms) and SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), SenseOn’s integrated solution enables businesses to detect, investigate and respond to threats with speed and precision. Stuart Nairne-Clark, Business Development Director at Kite Distribution, said: “SenseOn is transforming the way businesses approach cybersecurity with its consolidated platform, addressing critical needs such as cloud transformation, identity management and zero trust. We are thrilled to collaborate with SenseOn, a UK-founded and headquartered company that offers a compelling opportunity for resellers in the cybersecurity market.” www.kitedistribution.co.uk/ Stuart Nairne-Clark Angus Shaw Brigantia Altnets opens door to iLOQ Telecoms solutions provider Altnets is enabling telecoms operators to transform how they secure and manage access to critical infrastructure sites by adding iLOQ’s battery-free, self-powered digital locking solutions to its portfolio. Benefits of the smart access management products include smartphone-enabled access control with advanced encryption and two-factor authentication – no more physical keys; remote access management, reducing the need for unnecessary site visits; seamless API integration with existing cloud-based systems; and a sustainable battery-free design that prevents over 100,000 kg of battery waste annually. www.altnets.co.uk (l to r): Jordan Collins, Altnets Sales Director; Clifford Ellis, Technical Support Manager at iLOQ; Stephen Thomas, Sales Manager Critical Infrastructure & Health; and Leigh Buckwell, Technical Director at Altnets
DISTRIBUTOR NEWS technologyreseller.co.uk 07 absolutely delighted to welcome S-RM into the Distology portfolio. They are a premier brand in cyber security incident response, helping hundreds of organisations in their greatest hour of need. It is no wonder S-RM is growing rapidly and we know our stakeholders will be excited to work with a firm with a proven pedigree in incident response.” www.distology.com restoration team and threat actor negotiation support. The UK team is supported by fullservice incident response teams in the US, Netherlands and Singapore, enabling 24‑hour support for incident response and the ability to assemble an incident response team in as little as six minutes. Lance Williams, Chief Technology Officer at Distology, said: “I am Climb inks deals with HCLSoftware and Coro Climb Channel Solutions has formed new partnerships with HCLSoftware, the software division of digital transformation expert HCLTech, and Coro, provider of a cybersecurity platform for SMEs. HCLSoftware develops, markets, sells and supports solutions in seven key areas: AI & intelligent operations, cybersecurity, data & analytics, total experience, business & industry applications, sovereign collaboration and specialised software. Climb’s initial focus will be on its Bigfix and Appscan solutions. Coro provides a unified, modular cybersecurity platform offering a full range of data security and endpoint protection solutions that customers can select singly or in a bundle, fully managed or co‑managed according to their specific needs. With simplified cloud management, Coro enables companies to take control of their data security and compliance without overwhelming internal IT resources. www.climbcs.co.uk … Distology appointed to extend S-RM’s market reach Cyber security and corporate intelligence consultancy S-RM is offering its cyber incident response services to resellers in the UK and EMEA through a distribution agreement with Distology. S-RM has the largest dedicated incident response team in the UK and a full set of in-house capabilities that enables it to manage an incident end to end, including a dedicated continued... IN BRIEF... IoT solutions provider Alliot Technologies has taken its long-standing relationship with Daizy to the next level with the signing of a strategic partnership to distribute the latter’s toolset for the large-scale deployment, operation and management of IoT systems. Craig Herrett, Group Director at Alliot Technologies, said: “Daizy’s platform aligns perfectly with our mission to make IoT accessible to all. With its flexibility and ease of use, Daizy’s platform breaks down barriers in IoT, supporting multiple applications in a single interface.” https://alliot.co.uk Exertis AV is extending an existing European distribution partnership with Sony Professional Displays & Solutions Europe to the UK & Ireland. Al Coyne, AV Commercial Director, Exertis AV, said: “I’m delighted to announce that from January we will be launching with Sony which further strengthens Exertis AV’s portfolio and specialism with a premium, globally recognised brand that delivers unparalleled innovation and quality.” www.exertis.co.uk Global technology provider Arrow Electronics has extended its existing distribution agreement with NetApp to include the distribution of Keystone Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) across EMEA. Offering flexible, on-demand file, block and object storage, Keystone STaaS allows customers to manage their data storage needs in a cost-effective manner without the burden of asset procurement and management and reduces time-to-market by streamlining storage infrastructure. arrow.com Westcon-Comstor has added AWS integrations to its 3D Lab, giving partners the ability to demo products from the likes of Check Point Software, CrowdStrike, Infoblox, Palo Alto Networks and Zscaler in a secure, customisable and configurable AWS environment and experience the additional value that multi-vendor solutions can bring when deployed on AWS. The technology distributor created the 3D Lab in 2022 to allow partners to validate security solutions against specific use cases prior to purchase. It is free to use and accessible within 48 hours of request. www.westconcomstor.com Qlik is aiming to deliver its AI-driven data integration and analytics solutions to a wider ecosystem of businesses in Europe and North America through a strategic partnership with TD SYNNEX. The partnership will extend QLIQ’s reach to tens of thousands of non-managed partners in North America and Europe, in addition to its existing worldwide network of 300 managed partners, giving them the ability to distribute Qlik’s full suite of data integration, data quality, analytics and AI tools supported by co-marketing programs, training and demand generation campaigns. www.qlik.com TD SYNNEX Samsung display partnership extended to UK TD SYNNEX Maverick, the specialist professional audiovisual and collaboration business of TD SYNNEX, has added Samsung professional displays and software to its growing range of signage and meeting room displays. This extends an existing relationship between the two companies in EMEA and follows the appointment last July of TD SYNNEX as a UK distributor for Samsung mobile solutions. Mark Glasspool, Senior Director, UK and Ireland at TD SYNNEX Maverick, said: “This is a huge opportunity, both for TD SYNNEX Maverick and our partners, particularly in the fast-growing digital signage market and hospitality market.” Partners in the UK and Ireland can purchase the full range of Samsung professional displays from TD SYNNEX Maverick, including LFD, LED, interactive flat panel (IFP) and hospitality TV solutions, as well as the digital signage integration solution Visual eXperience Transformation and pre-sales support and value-added services (including installation). https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ Lance Williams Distology
DISTRIBUTOR NEWS ...continued 01732 759725 08 NowSignage to extend reach with Exertis AV Digital signage CMS provider NowSignage is looking to extend its reach and make digital signage solutions accessible to businesses of all sizes through a distribution agreement with Exertis AV. The collaboration will give NowSignage access to Exertis AV’s network of resellers across the UK, with plans for a strategic rollout into Europe. Exertis reseller partners will gain access to a proven digital signage CMS, offering all features at one competitive cost, seamless compatibility with a wide range of displays and media players and tailored support from NowSignage and Exertis. Nick Smith, AV Business Manager at Exertis AV, said: “We see continued growth in digital signage, and NowSignage are ideally positioned to help our partners grow their business. The unique simplicity and scalability that is built into the NowSignage platform will be of great interest to our channel partners.” www.exertis.co.uk … Will Goodall appointed Elevate Wholesale Director Intelligent networks and connectivity provider Elevate, which in November completed a rebranding from Telcom Group following its acquisition of Luminet, is strengthening its channel division with the promotion of Will Goodall to the position of Elevate Wholesale Director. Goodall joined Elevate as Head of Wholesale less than two years ago, with responsibility for establishing a new channel offer for the business, including connectivity, managed network services, cybersecurity and business communications. Since then, Elevate has onboarded hundreds of partners, including more than 200 from the Luminet acquisition, and expanded its Wholesale business into new territories, most recently Cardiff, the company’s latest HyperCity, where it has onboarded a number of new partners. elevate.uk/wholesale … Sol strengthens KVM security with Belkin partnership Sol Distribution, a distributor of networking components to the channel, has onboarded Belkin as a vendor after Managing Director Graeme Sutton approached it to help address a common problem for end users in the defence sector – unreliable KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) devices. KVM switches play a significant role in military, government and defence applications, especially when it comes to handling mission-critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data and Sutton realised that the reliability of Belkin devices would contribute to a more robust IT environment. He said: “Belkin’s proven expertise in secure, high performance IT solutions complements our mission to solve this ongoing challenge for the defence sector. Together, we aim to ensure that missioncritical operations are never impacted negatively by unreliable tech.” He added: “We are strengthening our support for our reseller clients by building on our already robust range of Fibre to the Desk (FTTD) and Tempest solutions. These technologies enable defence networks to operate in highly secure environments while offering improved reliability and resiliency, remote access capabilities and all‑important space-saving advantages, crucial for vessels where space is limited.” Stephen Dade, EMEA Cybersecurity Channel Manager at Belkin, said: “Belkin products undergo rigorous safety testing and quality control prior to being sold. Extensive testing is part of our design and validation processes and is conducted by Belkin’s dedicated product, engineering and design assurance teams who have expansive knowledge and deep expertise. This is why Belkin KVM is trusted by partners like Sol Distribution whose clients demand reliable products suitable for high stakes sectors like defence.” https://sol-distribution.co.uk … e92plus expands partnership with Proofpoint Cybersecuriuty VAD e92plus has expanded its partnership with Proofpoint to include the cybersecurity and compliance specialist’s complete human-centric security platform and portfolio. The platform provides solutions in four main areas: Defence against threats targeting people such as business email compromise (BEC), phishing and spam; Compliance and Protection of information and digital communications across email, cloud, endpoint, web and GenAI tools; App and Identity Posture to secure applications; and Security Awareness Training. In this way, Proofpoint can help reseller and MSP partners reduce the number of vendors they take to market and move towards platforms that integrate and share intelligence rather than relying on disparate point solutions. Mukesh Gupta, CEO of e92plus, said: “Proofpoint has demonstrated clear leadership in the data, email and identity security markets, and our expanded partnership will provide an outstanding opportunity for our partners to help their customers transform their cybersecurity strategy and address the most complex threats.” Jerome Jullien, VP, Channels and Alliances, EMEA at Proofpoint, added: “By extending our partnership with e92plus, we aim to provide more organisations in the UK with the humancentric tools they need to navigate today’s complex threat landscape successfully, protecting their people and defending their critical and sensitive data.” https://www.proofpoint.com/uk Cogent Distribution gives pride of place to the FreeMile 60 Cogent Distribution Ltd, the specialist wireless and connectivity distributor, is building on its longstanding relationship with SAF Tehnika by making its FreeMile 60 long-range 60GHz microwave radio its primary long-range 60GHz product. Ideal for video surveillance networks requiring high-capacity upload bandwidth, as well as IoT communications and last mile internet, the FreeMile 60 is a versatile 60GHz full outdoor unit designed for high capacity point-to-point and point-tomultipoint microwave networks, operating at a range of up to 6 km. Cogent Distribution Managing Director, Jim Kernahan said: “The FreeMile series is a highly competitive product when compared to more costly competitor solutions and we’re confident it will be a key product in our portfolio.” Nikolay Redin, SAF Tehnika Sales Director EMEA, added: “FreeMile is an affordable and reliable product for wireless internet service providers and enterprise markets, and serves their need for power, speed, range and cost-efficient network deployment solutions, even in densely populated areas. We’re delighted to be working with Cogent Distribution to expand our distribution in the UK.” www.cogentdistribution.com Nick Smith Exertis AV Will Goodall Elevate
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10 01732 759725 Don’t waste your vote! Vote Now! In addition to two dozen awards that require a written entry, there are half a dozen Distributor Awards that are decided by vote. These have a later deadline of April 1, but polling is open now, so get voting. Whether you are a reseller, MSP, SI or vendor, this is your chance to recognise distributors that have provided exceptional service over the last 12 months, from excellence in pricing, stock, delivery, customer service or technical support to assistance in increasing sales, finding new customers or diversifying into new markets. In the fast-moving technology sector, it is all too easy to be overtaken by events and to forget to thank those who really have made a difference to your business or simply those you have most enjoyed working with. The Distributor Awards are your chance to make amends and to show your appreciation for the distributors that have impressed you most in the last year. There are six categories to vote for: Cyber Security Distributor of the Year; SaaS/Software Distributor of the Year; UC & Connectivity Distributor of the Year; Cloud Solutions Distributor of the Year; Hardware Distributor of the Year; and Document Print & Workflow Distributor of the Year. You can only vote for one distributor in each category but you can vote in multiple categories. Entering the Awards The February 21 closing date for entering the Technology Reseller Awards 2025 is fast approaching, but there is still time to submit an entry. If you are quick. Entering the awards is free and you can submit entries in more than one category. Designed for simplicity We know what it is like to leave things until the last minute, which is why we make it as simple as possible to submit your entry online. Just log on at www.technologyresellerawards.co.uk to see a list of the award categories, click on the award(s) you want to enter to view the award criteria, and start writing. You can revisit, edit and fine-tune your entry as often as you like before submitting it. If you don’t have all the facts and figures you need to hand, don’t worry. Leave a space and fill them in later. Winning isn’t everything While there can only be one winner in each award category, there is much to be gained from being short-listed. We will be publishing the awards shortlists from April 8 and giving shortlisted companies a logo to use on their marketing. They will also receive editorial coverage in Technology Reseller and Print.IT Reseller and on the magazine websites, plus social media coverage before the event. On the awards night at Hilton London Bankside on May 22, all shortlisted companies will have their logos displayed on the backdrop behind the stage. If in doubt, reach out If you are unsure about anything to do with your entry, don’t be put off. Drop Susannah a line at susannah@ technologyresellerawards.co.uk and she will advise you on the best way forward. Technology Reseller Awards 2025: Act now, while there’s still time TRAS And disties, don’t be shy. If you think you have excelled now’s the time to canvass for votes from your customers. Don’t leave the field free for your rivals, get stuck in and make sure you turn out your base and win over undecided swing voters. A night to remember The Technology Reseller Awards evening is taking place on May 22, 2025 at the Hilton London Bankside, an award-winning hotel just a short walk from landmarks such as Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the South Bank riverside. With great food, live music, top-notch entertainment, this is a great opportunity to mix with peers and colleagues from across the ICT industry. Who knows, you may also walk away with a coveted Technology Reseller Award. Sponsorship opportunities Vendors and suppliers can get even more involved and position themselves as a leader in the industry by becoming a Technology Reseller Awards sponsor. To find out more about sponsorship opportunities, whether you want to associate your brand with a specific award category or entertainment and hospitality at the awards ceremony itself, call Ethan, Neil, Paul or Jeff on 01732 759725.
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12 01732 759725 RESELLER NEWS Loan extension boost to Firstcom M&A plans Firstcom Europe has enhanced a loan agreement made with Kartesia in 2020 with additional drawn and undrawn facilities to support further growth and diversification through M&A. The pan-European cloud telecoms company offers Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), softphones, SIP channels and advanced cloud solutions from multiple partners to SMEs in the UK, Germany, Sweden and Denmark, where it is seeking to pursue further acquisitions. Firstcom has completed 14 acquisitions in the last 10 years, growing annual turnover to over €48m. It has already used the enhanced financing package to buy a customer base with an annual turnover of more than €1.2 million and the transfer of in-house IT professionals that manage the service. Approximately 35% of this revenue comes from IT services, a key focus of Firstcom’s product expansion strategy. CEO Christian Bleakley said: “We have built a strong relationship with Kartesia over the past 4 years and are pleased to continue working with the team. I look forward to accelerating our new business model which includes a broader range of products and enhanced cross selling.” www.firstcomeurope.co.uk … DataVita builds on record year with ambitious expansion plans DataVita, a digital infrastructure and cloud services provider operating in Scotland, is doubling capacity at its primary datacentre in Chapelhall to 40MW, following a 46% increase in sales to £13.34 million for the year to June 30, 2024 and an 87% rise in earnings to a record £2.61 million. This expansion is part of a longerterm ambition to increase its datacentre capacity in central Scotland to 500MW by 2030 and to become Scotland’s top provider of AI-ready data centres. As part of this strategy, DataVita will be opening new sites designed to meet the infrastructure demands of complex and resource-intensive AI workloads, for example data centres with up to 400 kW per rack, rather than the traditional 4 kW. It will also be introducing new services like its recently launched National Cloud, which delivers tailored services for workloads unsuitable for public cloud providers, prioritising data sovereignty, cost transparency and simplified pricing models, while addressing issues related to cloud repatriation and critical workloads. DataVita MD Danny Quinn said: “This has been a transformative year for DataVita. Our exceptional financial performance, coupled with our strategic pivot towards AI-ready infrastructure and bespoke cloud solutions, positions us at the forefront of the industry. “With the establishment of National Cloud and ongoing investments in sustainability and infrastructure we are excited to continue enabling innovation for our customers and contributing to Scotland’s digital economy.” … Integrity360 expands African footprint Cybersecurity services provider Integrity360 is strengthening its foothold in South Africa with the acquisition of cybersecurity firm Nclose, operating out of Cape Town and Johannesburg. Birmingham City signs Intercity as IT Support Partner Intercity, the Birmingham-based managed IT, communications and cloud security solutions provider, is building on its partnership with Edgbaston Stadium & Warwickshire County Cricket Club by signing a three-year sponsorship deal with Birmingham City Football Club, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. As the Blues’ official IT Support Partner, Intercity will upgrade its IT systems and cloud servers, provide ‘around the clock’ on-site technical support, enhance network connectivity at the Knighthead Training and Academy Grounds and provide cybersecurity training and IT transformation. Intercity CEO Charlie Blakemore said: “We have always prioritised building strong partnerships within the community and adding Birmingham City Football Club to our roster is not only a tremendous honour, but a fantastic vehicle for doing good in the local areas in which we operate. There is a real vision and desire from the owners to use football to regenerate places and lives and we will ensure they can do that through the most appropriate use of technology and by driving shared connections in the city.” Over the last five years, Intercity has doubled its workforce to 325 and increased turnover from £28 million to £60 million through organic growth and the strategic acquisitions of Chandler Communications and, last year, Microsoft solutions experts Centrality. www.intercity.technology (l-r): Garry Cook (Birmingham City FC), Chris Sharp (Intercity), Charlie Blakemore (Intercity), Jeremy Dale (Birmingham City FC) Danny Quinn Christian Bleakley
RESELLER NEWS technologyreseller.co.uk 13 continued... A provider of cybersecurity consulting, a full suite of managed cybersecurity services, including its own proprietary MDR platform ‘Cyberfire’, plus solutions from CrowdStrike, Netskope, Tenable, McAfee, KnowBe4, Forcepoint and Sentinel One, Nclose has 125 employees, 150 customers and circa €18m in revenues. Following its acquisition of Cape Town‑headquartered Grove Group in August, Integrity360 now has 180 employees in the country and a fifth global SOC (Security Operations Centre) – soon to be joined by a sixth, in Madrid, scheduled to come online in Q1. Overall, Integrity360 now has global revenues in excess of €150m and 675 dedicated cyber security professionals. As well as giving Nclose customers access to the Integrity360 portfolio of cyber risk and assurance, cyber security testing, incident response, infrastructure, PCI compliance and cyber security managed services, including XDR/MDR, the acquisition will enable Integrity360 customers in other regions to adopt Nclose’s ‘Cyberfire’ MDR platform. This contains over 1,300 AI-enhanced individual detections to identify malicious activity, with more being added every month, enabling it to identify ‘the real alerts that matter’ without the need for a third-party SIEM. Ian Brown, Executive Chairman at Integrity360, said: “The addition of CyberFire brings another service and growth capability to the group, further expanding the depth of Integrity360’s XDR and MDR portfolio for the benefit of our wider international customer base.” Red Helix invests £1 million in UK SOC Following a 10-fold increase in its customer-base in 2024 and the recent appointment of Tom Exelby as Head of Cyber, network and cybersecurity solutions provider Red Helix (formerly Phoenix Datacom) has announced a £1 million investment in its UK-based, 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC). This includes a 150% increase in headcount (so far), the creation of innovative workspaces and the deployment of an integrated suite of tools to ensure the managed services provider can continue to deliver cyber security services tailored to the unique needs of SMEs. The SOC, based at Red Helix HQ in Buckinghamshire, combines best‑of‑breed technologies with human expertise to protect customers’ users, devices, networks, data and applications (in cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments). A pod structure gives analysts in-depth understanding of each client’s systems and behavioural patterns, enabling them to configure tailored triggers to swiftly detect anomalies and security breaches and take appropriate action. Red Helix CEO Marion Stewart said: “Our mission is to bridge the gap between the needs of small to medium businesses and the high degree of complexity in security solutions they need, which are usually only accessible to larger enterprises. By investing in our SOC, we’re able to protect more UK businesses from ever-evolving cyber threats.” www.redhelix.com ASK4 partnering with TP-Link ASK4 Ltd, a provider of internet connectivity services to users in multi-tenant buildings, is partnering with TP-Link to boost internet connectivity for hundreds and thousands of users in multi-tenant properties including student housing, build-to-rent accommodation and later living environments. The partnership will give ASK4 access to TP-Link’s advanced switches, supporting high-performance residential internet access and facilitating the integration of third-party building systems and IoT devices; end-to-end networking solutions with remote monitoring, management and troubleshooting through the Omada Cloud platform; and scalable network solutions built to handle high demand in student accommodation. www.ask4.com www.tp-link.com/uk Ian Brown Marion Stewart
14 01732 759725 RESELLER NEWS ...continued A time for giving Staff at managed workplace services provider Apogee Corporation have successfully raised £4,300 for Dementia UK through the company’s annual Christmas Charity Advent Calendar raffle. A company tradition since 2018, the Calendar features prizes donated by Apogee partners and suppliers, which in 2024 included items such as an Amazon tablet, a Poly headset and a £150 M&S voucher. In December, Apogee employees also visited and delivered Christmas presents to children’s wards in five NHS Trusts and took part in the Royal British Legion Industries Rudolph Fun Run at Leybourne Lakes, Kent, which Apogee sponsored for the second year in a row. apogeecorp.com Alton Valley ends year on a high Derby-based technology company Alton Valley has reached £7 million in turnover after quadrupling revenue in just three years. The supplier of advanced network and security solutions, primarily to the defence engineering sector, is aiming to build on this momentum by extending its offering across the UK and partnering with organisations operating in mission-critical environments. Managing Director Carl Hamill said: “This milestone is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our team, as well as the trust our clients place in us to safeguard their critical systems. We remain committed to innovation and growth as we enter 2025.” Expereo partners with ‘game-changer’ Starlink Expereo is to offer customers global internet connectivity via Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites after becoming an official Starlink Authorised Reseller. Starlink, engineered by SpaceX, is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using LEO satellites to provide uninterrupted, reliable, highperformance internet connectivity as a backup or primary connection almost anywhere in the world, including hard-to-reach and isolated areas. Expereo’s managed services and expereoOne platform give enterprises seamless end-to-end visibility, control and management of their LEO solutions, which, because they are immune to network disruptions caused by physical infrastructure failures, fibre cuts or regional outages, offer instant failover capability to keep critical applications running. Ben Elms, CEO at Expereo, said: “Starlink is a game-changer for our customers. Its satellite technology, renowned for its ability to provide high‑speed internet to remote areas, aligns perfectly with Expereo’s mission to deliver seamless, resilient, high-quality and managed internet access to enterprises, regardless of their location. Starlink complements Expereo’s expertise in providing end-to-end management of an entire suite of connectivity solutions for organisations of all kinds, no matter where they are based, all visible and managed through our intelligent platform expereoOne.” A great pairing Foodhub, a technology provider for the hospitality and leisure sector and developer of a takeaway app with more than one million users, is partnering with Fifteen Group, a specialist provider of IT, communications, software development, digital signage and fire and security systems to gyms and quick service restaurants such as Taco Bell, Costa and KFC. The partnership will give Fifteen customers access to Foodhub technology as well as listings on its app and give both companies opportunities to increase sales. David McGuinness, Vice President of Global Growth and Business Development at Foodhub, said: “Essentially, we will supplement each other’s tech stack. They will help introduce their clients to the Foodhub app, where brands like Tacobell can list their menus to drive up orders, and to tech for fitouts. This partnership between a quick service restaurant (QSR) and takeaway specialist and a market-leading kitchen facility provider for QSR/takeaways makes a great combination.” www.fifteengroup.co.uk foodhubforbusiness.com (l to r) David McGuiness, Vice President of Global Growth and Business Development at Foodhub, Stephen Smyth, UK Partnership Manager at Foodhub, and Rob Adams, Director of Fifteen Group Carl Hamill
technologyreseller.co.uk 15 One area of success within our Cloud Services portfolio has been the uptake of Acronis platform services by our Partners through our distribution arrangement. Our sister organisations are also leveraging other platforms in the field. We’ve decided to simplify our go to market strategy by adding another offering – Cloud-based Cybersecurity Platform Subscriptions. We believe that these services, some of which our ISP partners have used to great effect, can help you reduce churn, raise margins and increase your value proposition with both new and existing customers. Additionally, onboarding is straightforward and cost‑effective – giving your sales team more interesting talking points than tariffs, or competitors who offer Ethernet for £20 less per month! Designed specifically for fixed and mobile telecommunications businesses, these platforms are built for scale and provide a competitive edge for businesses just like ours. To learn more about our Cloud-based Cybersecurity Platform offerings, please click or scan the QR code or speak to your account manager at PXC. www.pxc.co.uk to tens of thousands of users, and require very little support. Plus, if you have API smarts, they are super light to deploy. Where Should You Start? Wide addressable market is usually a good place. Most end customers have an awareness of the dangers of cybersecurity crime. On any given day, most newsfeeds selected at random will have at least a story or two each week relating to identify theft, online confidence tricksters, fraudulent copycat websites, data breaches and so on. Moreover, most of us can put a personal anecdote together in fairly short order concerning the inconvenience of lost or stolen devices, and the relief provided by previously backed-up data. Drawing On Our Expertise At PXC, we bring together a substantial 173 total man-years of experience from the TalkTalk Security Operations Centre and Virtual1’s award-winning Cloud proposition. Over the past year, we’ve spent a great deal of time combing through the vast supplier ecosystems we have access to as a £1.2B business with over 1,000 employees. It’s a challenge facing every business, but specifically pertinent for single-service focused wholesale communications businesses, either fixed or mobile – You have a significant base of customers that’s valued less and less each year due to price erosion. This base is under pressure from churn as your competitors diversify their services portfolios and offer better value. The race is on to diversify and enrich your portfolio to reduce churn and attract new customers – and you need to change, but how? The Challenge of Adding Services For MSP PBX vendors, maintainers or VARs, adding additional services is often straightforward. They already own the customer relationship, and as a result they have a greater understanding of the customer environment with support capabilities in place. In many cases, such as adding voice services into a PBX you already maintain – it’s also a no brainer. In contrast, for an IT support business, the phone system is just another application they can manage. But with many applications becoming cloud native, where’s the IT to manage? For a lines and wires, or airtime business, it’s a different story. You may not own the customer, nor have insight into their application stacks, you may not therefore be best placed to offer pre-sales guidance or excellent in-life support, even if you do have the operational capacity to do so. The Opportunity: Cloud-Based Cybersecurity Platforms Part of the solution, we believe, lies in the resale of cloud-based cybersecurity platform products – particularly those that solve problems that may be a concern for a wide range of customers. Platform‑based applications, that end customers can easily self-serve by downloading from app stores, offer a key opportunity. These applications typically serve use cases that could apply The Digital Services Battleground – who moved your cheese? ADVERTORIAL
16 01732 759725 TR: In what areas are you experiencing strongest demand? SP: We’re in a unique position as we wholesale all our products, which allows us to offer flexible contracts. This flexibility is increasingly in demand. Given the uncertain economic outlook for the next three to five years, businesses want contracts that are adaptable – if their demand drops, they need a partner who will work with them and accept adjustments without locking them into rigid terms. Amongst SMEs, we are seeing strong demand for leveraging technology to enhance their operations. Even so, many businesses are struggling to get the most out of tools like Copilot because they don’t fully understand how to use them effectively. We must make sure a business is getting the best out of the technology they pay for and that it actually meets the customer’s expectations. In Enterprises, the demand is for a blend of flexible contract terms and superior service that supports their business needs. Unlike larger mobile operators and hosted voice platforms, we’re small and agile enough to deliver personalised solutions that meet these requirements, giving us a significant advantage. TR: What recent wins are you most proud of? SP: Over the past 12 months, I’m most proud of our ability to retain nearly every customer we have looked to renew. Our strong renewal rate is testament to our service model, contract flexibility and competitive commercials, all of which continue to set us apart. TR: Where is business proving most difficult? SP: Our biggest challenge is people. As a managed services business, we rely heavily on platforms and people, but finding and retaining the right talent is increasingly difficult. There’s a significant shortage of key skillsets, and evolving policies like Angela Rayner’s proposed changes are adding to the pressure. For example, hiring a university graduate will soon necessitate paying them £25,000 a year with full workers’ Technology Reseller (TR): How’s business? Better or worse than 12 months ago? And how confident are you about the future? Simon Pickering (SP): Business is better than it was 12 months ago. We are still growing organically, we are seeing strong growth in the SME sector and Enterprise continues to grow – and we are confident about the future because we have a robust organic plan we will deliver on. That said, significant challenges remain. Over the last two years, inflationary pressures have led to price increases for customers, who have become more financially conscious as a result. During renewals, despite delivering excellent service, we’re seeing a shift towards headline pricing versus full contract costs. Whether this approach works long-term remains to be seen. The last budget has complicated matters further because while we are optimistic from an organic growth perspective, managing the cost of running the business, particularly the cost per head, remains challenging. Passing these increased costs on to customers just won’t work. Major suppliers like BT, Vodafone, EE and O2 have already signalled price increases that are likely to be more significant than the modest adjustments in April that we were anticipating. We’re now focused on understanding the impact of these increases and what we can reasonably absorb. Technology remains a priority. We’re exploring ways to help our existing staff work more efficiently, especially through AI – not for customer-facing interactions but to help our teams perform faster without compromising service quality. This has probably brought our previous plans forward by three years. That said, slowing recruitment has put more pressure on existing staff, so we’ve taken steps to prioritise their wellbeing, with a profit share scheme, increased annual leave allowances and added health benefits. Retaining a motivated, healthy workforce is critical but these hidden costs do add up. Running costs for our 57 staff have risen by 3% or £80,000 a year. dbfb is an independent provider of business telephony, connectivity and IT solutions, as well as consultancy and support, to SMEs, enterprises and the public sector. Established by Brian Kingston and Bill Oliver in 1998, under the name Database for Business, it started out specialising in mobile phones and airtime before expanding its offering to include connectivity, cloud telephony, managed print services and comprehensive IT solutions from market-leading vendors. The company’s status as an independent technology provider enables it to create tailored, multi-vendor solutions, while its preference for acquiring products and services on a wholesale basis gives it the flexibility to set its own pricing and contract terms. Under the leadership of Simon Pickering, who joined the company as Managing Director in 2016, dbfb has expanded its product and service offering to meet the needs of enterprises and the public sector as well as its core SME base, increasing its turnover from £2.5 million in 2018 to £13 million today and its headcount from 12 to 57. It is also extending its geographical reach from its roots in Northamptonshire to the M62 corridor, to which end it is opening a new office in Manchester and has just appointed Rugby League legend Paul Sculthorpe MBE as Director to head up its Northern team (see page 42 for more details). Here, Simon Pickering gives his view from the channel. INTERVIEW With Simon Pickering, Managing Director of dbfb View from the Channel… Simon Pickering
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