14 01732 759725 RESELLER NEWS ANS revamps partner programmes Manchester-headquartered digital transformation company and cloud services provider ANS has revamped its partner programmes to boost cloud, digital and security sales within the channel. Tailored for different partner types (MSP, telco/IT reseller, SaaS provider, IT consultancy), the refreshed programmes have been structured to offer partners flexibility, scalability and alignment with business goals. Highlights include enhanced managed services portfolios and cybersecurity offerings within its Digital and Security Partner Programmes and tailored cloud transition support and flexible partnership models (cosell, white-label or referral) in its new Cloud Partner Programme, designed to address the evolving needs of VMware partners. Ryan Martin, Head of Indirect at ANS, said: “Our partner programmes aren’t one-size-fits-all, they’re crafted to empower our partners to thrive in a more complex, competitive tech environment.” www.ans.co.uk/channel … Atlas Cloud aiming to disrupt legal sector with Challow acquisition Newcastle-based IT services company Atlas Cloud has expanded its geographical footprint and strengthened its offering in the legal services sector with the acquisition of Challow Design Network Services Limited. Based near King’s Cross in London, Challow is a niche IT services provider targeting barristers’ chambers and law firms with a fully managed, compliancefirst solution designed to align legal customers with the UK Government’s Cyber Essentials scheme. The combined company will leverage Atlas Cloud’s operational engine to widen the availability of Challow’s all-in-one solution, while merging Atlas Cloud’s cyber security division to incorporate Cyber Essentials accreditations and services like penetration testing under one roof. Atlas Cloud CEO Pete Watson said: “Challow have spent years perfecting a totally unique solution, choosing to refine with their current customer base over pursuing growth. Atlas Cloud has in recent years placed a huge emphasis on developing an operational blueprint that delivers a great service in a scalable way. It’s given us greater capacity, allowed us to tighten SLAs and our customer feedback scores are now consistently world-class. Together, we make the industry’s best-kept secret – eager to disrupt the legal services sector.” Plans for the combined business include helping law firms unlock the potential of Generative AI to make savings on chargeable hours. … Econocom expands AV capabilities Econocom, a European leader in digital transformation for public and private organisations, has strengthened its audiovisual capabilities in the UK and Ireland through the acquisition of Smartcomm and Image Supply Systems Audio Visual (ISSAV). These acquisitions add 55 AV specialists to Econocom’s UK and Ireland team, enabling it to design, install, integrate, maintain and support AV environments of continued... Kyndryl and Microsoft collaborate on AI acceleration hubs Enterprise technology services provider Kyndryl is working with Microsoft to accelerate the adoption of agentic AI solutions for industry-specific challenges with the launch of a global network of physical and virtual Kyndryl Microsoft Acceleration Hubs, including the recently opened AI Innovation Lab in Liverpool. Serving as collaborative environments for ideation, prototyping and deployment of AI and digital solutions, Acceleration Hubs bring together the consulting and co-creation expertise of more than 16,000 Microsoft-certified Kyndryl professionals with Microsoft cloud and AI technologies, including Azure AI Foundry and Copilot. Ismail Amla, Global Leader of Kyndryl Consult, said: “We are confidently doubling down on our successful collaboration with Microsoft because we know that the combination of Kyndryl Consult expertise with Microsoft technologies is a powerful duo that will help customers reap the benefits of AI, drive innovation and achieve meaningful business outcomes.” Kyndryl recently achieved the AI Platform on Microsoft Azure specialisation and renewed its Azure Expert MSP (Managed Services Partner) designation, the highest status for Microsoft service providers, achieved by less than 2% of the company’s partner ecosystem. Last month Kyndryl leveraged its learnings from thousands of infrastructure deployments of AI with the launch of a Kyndryl Agentic AI Framework designed to help enterprises implement and run self‑learning agentic AI solutions at scale across diverse IT estates (on-premises, in the cloud or in a hybrid setting). www.kyndryl.com Advania acquires Swedish AI consultancy Northern European IT services provider Advania is accelerating its transformation into an AI-focused company offering the benefits of infrastructure sovereignty and comprehensive advisory and implementation capabilities through the acquisition of The AI Framework. The Swedish AI consultancy was founded by AI thought leader Errol Norlum, former head of AI at H&M Group, where he led a major technical transformation, recruiting over 150 experts and integrating AI into the company’s core business. Norlum said: “We’ve always believed that AI should serve business objectives, not the other way around. Joining Advania allows us to scale this impact while maintaining our commitment to strategic, value-driven AI implementation. Together, we can help more organisations navigate AI transformation with confidence and purpose.” Advania UK CEO Geoff Kneen added: “The acquisition of The AI Framework is a bold step forward in Advania’s mission to lead on AI not just in the Nordics, but across the UK and wider Europe. This deal delivers proven, strategic AI expertise which we can bring to our clients.” Advania’s AI offering now includes AI Consulting Services; the AI Academy to upskill employees in AI technologies; AI Advisory services for governance, risk management and regulatory compliance; and subscription-based AI Services that enable clients to leverage AI capabilities without the need for in-house expertise and capital investment. Geoff Kneen Ryan Martin ANS
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