www.technologyreseller.uk THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL NEWS & RESOURCE FOR MSPS, IT RESELLERS & SUPPORT PROVIDERS DISTRIBUTION PAGE 10 Joel Chimoindes on the highs and lows of converged communications Scan the QR code and find out how to become a partner Understand where organisations might be struggling with transformation and how you can help them succeed Our latest report gives you the insight to position yourself as the expert Bridge the digital maturity gap and unlock your growth potential Turn to page 18 to find out more. PAGE 08 With Dave Stevinson, Group CEO of QBS Technology Group VIEW FROM THE CHANNEL AI PAGE 22 How one Brother partner is using AI to bring agility to labelling TECHNOLOGY RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016
Why Spitfire’s One Network? Are you at risk from: • Poor device visibility and erratic management? • Requirement for third party remote access? • Default or weak passwords? • Software security updates? • Transmission of unencrypted data? One Network uses MPLS to combine mobile, fixed line and cloud connectivity into a secure private network. A low cost, no fuss, business and IoT solution that is both invisible and unreachable to external threats. Easily built using whichever primary and backup access components are required to connect your sites, users, devices and servers - wherever they may be located - without the need for time consuming VPN tunnel configurations. What could be simpler, or safer? Call us today, to find out more. www.spitfire.co.uk/iot-security Telecoms and IP Engineering Solutions for Business since 1988 Innovative • Flexible • Reliable • Supportive • Cost Effective Sales 020 7501 3333 • Partner Services 020 7501 3150 VOICE INTERNET I O T W A N www.spitfire.co.uk Key Benefits No public internet traversal Avoid need for encryption MPLS private networks available Fixed or dynamic IP addresses Private APN available Invisible and unreachable to external threats Looking for mitigation with one easy, cost effective and time efficient solution ? Worried about IOT security?
04 Distribution news Impossible Cloud expands UK presence with Northamber 05 Business news UK a top destination for tech growth. Plus, risk-sharing gains ground in M&A 06 Channel Oliver Gardner, Head of Microsoft Alliances at Giacom, argues that far from being a setback, changes to Microsoft’s CSP programme are an opportunity for MSPs to simplify operations and reduce overheads 08 View from the channel With Dave Stevinson, Group CEO of QBS Technology Group 10 Interview Joel Chimoindes, CEO of Nuvias UC, on the highs and lows of the converged communications market 14 Reseller news Aspire surpasses £50m revenue milestone two years early 18 Cover story How Ricoh is helping resellers grow their business by bridging the gap between strategy and digital reality 20 DEX Fast-growing challenger brand in audit and advisory services deploys ControlUp DEX platform to ensure smooth IT operations as headcount doubles 22 Labelling Dill is making food labelling quicker and easier with the launch of a new AI-based label designer that will also enable it to scale faster and expand into new markets 24 60 seconds with… Holly Foxcroft, Cybersecurity Business Partner at OneAdvanced 26 Sustainability Mark Willis, Managing Director of Surplex UK, explains why MDM locks are a growing barrier to WEEE compliance 27 Collaboration VTT technology identifies when and why meetings aren’t working 28 Events All the winners from the third PrintIT & Technology Reseller Golf Society meeting of 2025 31 Software Chester Racecourse transforms raceday experience with NFC ticketing technology and digital wallets 32 Tech digest A round-up of new developments from established and emerging technology vendors 36 People New faces, new places 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 · [email protected] 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 How Ricoh Supports Partners: Partnering with Ricoh means you’re not alone. You bring your customers a trusted name, up-to-date market insights, and proven support. Together, we can bridge the gap that’s holding your customers back, and open up new revenue streams in the process. If you’re not having these conversations with your customers, someone else will. Our latest report gives you the insight and data to position yourself as the expert. Our latest research, gathered from eal UK businesses and compiled in he State of UK Digital Transformation 025, highlights an opportunity for witched-on resellers to help their ustomers close that gap, and grow heir own business in the process. he Vital Conversation: Aligning Digital Strategy ith Today’s Realities esults gathered from our Digital Services Maturity dicator reveal that 46% of UK businesses are ruggling to align digital strategy with daily reality. ver 50% still rely on manual or paper-based orkflows, and 56% admit there’s a lack of bersecurity awareness, despite threats becoming creasingly more sophisticated. Why It Matters to Resellers our customers are already asking about digital ansformation, but with so many stuck in outdated ocesses, the right partner can make all the fference. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to close the igital Maturity) gap alone, and the right collaboration n help businesses tackle gaps in process automation, oud adoption and cybersecurity. The Size of the Opportunity With only 32% of users utilising digital document management effectively and nearly 20% still to adopt cloud services, there’s huge untapped potential for resellers to lead with knowledge, not just products. Download The State of UK Digital Transformation 2025 today to see where your customers might be falling behind, and how you can help them catch up. Nearly half of UK businesses say a gap between strategy and digital reality holds them back. Become a partner and bridge the gap together. Email: [email protected] Your Opportunity to Lead Through Market Insight and Partnership TECHNOLOGY RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016
01732 759725 DISTRIBUTOR NEWS 04 EGE partners with Sonim Wireless electronics distributor EGE is bringing a proven, high-quality rugged portfolio to channel partners through a new partnership with Sonim Technologies, a US provider of rugged, watersubmersible mobile phones. Engineered to withstand extreme temperatures, drops and accidental submersions, Sonim’s rugged devices meet the demanding needs of frontline workers and professionals working in missioncritical and field-based roles, with a strong focus on emergency services, utilities, construction, transport and logistics. Steve Hankey, Head of Commercial and Vendor Management, said: “We believe that Sonim offers one of the most rounded and commercially compelling propositions on the market. Their range delivers exceptional durability, functionality and performance, all backed by a comprehensive warranty of three years on handsets and two years on mobile broadband devices.” He added: “These devices form part of a wider Sonim solution that combines ultra-rugged hardware, enterprise-grade software capabilities, and comprehensive lifecycle support services.” … EnterpriseDB now available from Prianto Prianto UK, a QBS Technology Group company specialising in the distribution of virtualisation, security and emerging enterprise software solutions, is bringing the EnterpriseDB (EDB) Postgres AI platform to resellers and integrators across the UK and Ireland. EDB PG AI, the first secure Postgres platform to unify transactional, analytical and AI workloads in a single system, supports agentic and generative AI, includes low-code tools and built-in pipelines and helps organisations bring AI to data across hybrid environments, simplifying development, reducing cost and improving visibility. Coming at a time of rising concern around AI and data sovereignty, EDB PG AI gives enterprises full control over where and how their data and models are managed. In an EDB survey earlier this year, 67% of enterprise leaders said they plan to implement sovereign AI and data strategies by 2027. [email protected] Exertis Cybersecurity announces partnerships with ShelterZoom and Private Communications Corp Exertis Cybersecurity, a sub-division of Exertis Enterprise, has expanded its security offering through new partnerships with ShelterZoom, a pioneer in document-level cybersecurity and digital ownership, and Private Communications Corp, a provider of zero trust network access (ZTNA) solutions built specifically for SMEs and MSPs. The collaboration with ShelterZoom gives Exertis Cybersecurity’s 1,000 channel partners access to the company’s secure alternative to email attachments for managing, protecting and sharing digital assets. Fully integrated with Microsoft Outlook and Gmail, Document GPS provides advanced screenshot blocking, watermarking, download and sharing restrictions, and e-signing directly within email attachments (without ever physically sending files), drastically reducing data pollution and attack surfaces. Every document is traceable, immutable and protected by blockchain-based tokenisation technology, safeguarding against emerging threats from AI and quantum computing. Dominic Ryles, Sales & Alliance Director at Exertis Cybersecurity, said: “Document GPS is exactly what organisations across EMEA need right now: a simple yet powerful plug-and-play solution that puts security and control back in the hands of users. It’s a game-changer for digital ownership, secure file sharing and the prevention of data loss and email compromise, particularly in today’s compliance-driven landscape.” Ryles is equally enthusiastic about Exertis Enterprise’s new partnership with Private Communications Corp, developer of the Remote WorkForce ZTNA enterprise-grade zero trust security solution for MSPs and SMEs with remote employees and distributed network environments. He said: “Adding Remote WorkForce ZTNA to our security portfolio is a major win, not just for us, but for all our partners and customers. Distributed work is here to stay, and so are the challenges that come with securing assets in the cloud, on personal devices and across multiple locations. Zero trust security is no longer a luxury for big companies. It’s essential for every organisation that wants to protect its data and operations. We’re proud to help make these powerful tools available to SMEs through our extensive network.” Kent Lawson, CEO of Private Communications Corp., added: “Too many smaller businesses have been left with outdated or inadequate security options. The traditional VPN model was built for a different era, when everyone worked in the office and everything sat behind a single firewall. That world is gone. This partnership allows us to reach even more organisations with a solution designed for today’s realities.” www.exertis.co.uk Dominic Ryles Impossible Cloud expands UK presence with Northamber Impossible Cloud, a leading European provider of S3-compatible object storage, has appointed Northamber PLC as its first distribution partner in the UK, while also expanding its local UK sales team to meet demand from the financial services, logistics, automotive and healthcare sectors for a scalable, compliance-ready, enterprise-grade alternative to US hyperscalers. Its partnership with Northamber follows an extension of Impossible Cloud’s infrastructure to two new regions, the UK and Northern Europe, in addition to its existing regions of DACH, Southern & Eastern Europe and Benelux & France. Co-Founder and COO Christian Kaul said: “Our European expansion is a direct response to the growing demand from enterprises for sovereign cloud infrastructure, especially in the enterprise segment. We offer a high-performance alternative to the established hyperscalers that not only delivers technologically, but also meets the regulatory and strategic requirements of European businesses.” The establishment of data centres in the UK and Denmark will give customers new options for data localisation and location-specific geofencing to ensure data is stored and processed exclusively within the selected national or regional boundaries in compliance with GDPR, NIS-2 and EU Data Act requirements. Grant Reddin, Director of Cyber and Solutions at Northamber PLC, said: “Impossible Cloud fills a vital gap in our portfolio, giving customers high‑performance infrastructure with the compliance, security and control they demand. In an industry that is evolving faster than ever, this partnership reinforces our commitment to moving forward with cutting-edge, future-proof solutions that keep our partners ahead of the curve.” Christian Kaul
technologyreseller.co.uk BUSINESS NEWS 05 Risk sharing between buyers and sellers is becoming a defining feature of the UK&I mid-market M&A landscape, claims Dealsuite, Europe’s leading platform for mid-market M&A transactions. Its latest bi-annual UK&I M&A Monitor shows a notable rise in the use of earn-outs and vendor loans in the first half of 2025. Alongside stable transaction volumes, this indicates a market that is adapting its deal structures to balance risk more evenly between both sides. In H1-2025, 39% of M&A advisors observed an increase in the use of earn-out arrangements, while 26% reported a rise in vendor loans. Both mechanisms are increasingly seen as tools to align interests, either by linking part of the transaction value to future performance or by enabling sellers to finance part of the acquisition. Warranties and indemnities remained widely applied, while 22% of advisors noted a modest uptick in asset/liability transactions. Resilience in the ‘New Normal’ Since 2020, dealmakers in the UK&I have navigated high inflation, rising interest rates, geopolitical tensions and global trade frictions. While uncertainty initially slowed M&A activity, the SME segment has adjusted, showing strong resilience. In H1-2025, 37% of advisors reported transaction volumes in line with H2‑2024, while 35% noted an increase. At the same time, buyer appetite has remained robust: in H1-2025, companies offered for sale attracted an average of 7.9 serious interested buyers, only slightly below the 8.1 recorded in H1-2024. This sustained level of demand underlines the continued attractiveness of SMEs and reinforces the view that the UK&I M&A market remains a seller’s market, despite financing headwinds and broader economic uncertainty. The Monitor also revealed a decline in average deal size. Transactions above £10 million fell to 25% of all deals, compared with 34% in late 2024. In contrast, deals below £2.5 million rose by 5 percentage points and those between £2.5 and £5 million increased by 6 points. This indicates a stronger concentration in smaller transactions across the region. Outlook: cautious optimism Looking ahead to the second half of 2025, sentiment remains positive, though financing conditions are expected to tighten slightly. While 29% of advisors anticipate financing will become somewhat more difficult and 9% foresee a significant challenge, a majority still expect activity levels to hold firm. Floyd Plettenberg, CEO of Dealsuite, said: “A decade ago, market turbulence often paralysed M&A activity. Today, many dealmakers have adapted to operating in an environment where uncertainty is constant. This resilience is particularly visible in the SME segment, where we continue to see healthy deal flow and an evolution in deal structures that share risk more evenly between buyer and seller. It is a sign of a more mature and strategic M&A market in the UK&I region.” www.dealsuite.com Rise in earn-outs and vendor loans balances risk more evenly between buyers and sellers M&A risk-sharing on the up UK a great place for tech growth New research from the Barclays Business Prosperity Index shows that the majority of UK‑based tech companies regard their home market as a more favourable destination for growth than other core international hubs. Research among 500 technology business leaders reveals that 62% consider the UK a more attractive location to grow and scale a tech business than mainland Europe, with 61% favouring the UK over the Asia-Pacific region and 60% preferring it to the United States. The UK’s strong market opportunities and customer base, access to a skilled and diverse talent pool and faster-growing consumer take-up of technology products were three key differentiators cited in the UK’s favour. Interest in the technology sector continues to surge, with half of tech businesses (50%) planning at least a 20% increase in AI investment over the next 12 months and 95% reporting growing demand from clients for AI products and services. This is supported by wider confidence in the economic outlook. More than three quarters (76%) of tech firms report that the UK macroeconomic climate is giving their business a boost and a similar share (75%) believe the political landscape will help support growth over the next three years. Investing in growth Tech firms are committed to ongoing investment in their business. Seven in 10 (70%) expect to commit more capital this year, with an average increase of 8.9%. Barclays’ anonymised client data comparing Q1 2024 and Q1 2025 also indicates strong investment intentions: Cash inflows into technology businesses rose by 1.7%, while overall cash balances in current accounts declined by 9.6%. The tech sector had the highest increase in savings account balances, up 21.5%, suggesting tech businesses are holding onto cash ready to deploy in support of their investment plans. Meanwhile overdraft usage fell by 26.2%, despite borrowing remaining relatively flat over the same timeframe. These figures reflect stronger short-term liquidity and a shift away from flexible, high-cost borrowing towards more structured financing, while also signalling greater confidence in cash flow stability and long-term planning. Despite plans for growth, some barriers to sourcing funding and investment remain. The most pressing are high costs associated with the fundraising process (40%), excessive regulatory requirements and compliance costs (36%) and limited government funding and grants (33%). home.barclays/businessprosperity
01732 759725 CHANNEL 06 testing can ensure continuity across systems and support channels. Transparent communication also plays a vital role in managing customer expectations and making the change feel seamless. For partners that start early, the transition becomes less about compliance and more about unlocking new opportunities. The strategic opportunity MSPs facing this change should ask themselves not just how to migrate, but what the benefits of doing so might be. What does the move free them up to do? How can it help them simplify operations, reach new markets or grow faster? What ‘value-add’ will they be able to deliver when they’re no longer buried under manual admin or escalating support cases? It’s also a chance to revisit their Microsoft offering. Are there bundles they can now deliver more easily? Are there enablement resources or tools that can strengthen their market offering? The indirect model, when done right, can be a springboard for broader transformation. Why your choice of indirect provider matters Not all distributors are created equal. For partners moving from direct to indirect, the experience will depend heavily on the support, systems and culture of their chosen provider. At Giacom, we’ve helped many former direct partners make the switch. What they find is a UK-based support model, a unified marketplace for Microsoft and other solutions (cloud, connectivity, mobile, hardware) and a partner-first philosophy focused on enablement, not just transactions. This CSP change doesn’t need to be disruptive. With the right support, it’s an opportunity to grow and build a more resilient Microsoft practice. Whether you are hesitant about the move or simply unsure where to start, find out how we can help at https://giacom.com/becomea-microsoft-partner/. Some may see this as a loss of control. In reality, it often has the opposite effect. Good distributors provide responsive, local support teams that understand the partner’s business and act as an extension of their team. The best also offer proactive advice and best practices, helping MSPs prevent issues, not just react to them. Crucially, indirect partners working with well-connected distributors often gain more influence within Microsoft’s ecosystem, especially those that previously had little visibility or engagement as unmanaged direct partners. Incentives, insights and influence When it comes to incentives, there’s no loss in switching. Both direct and indirect partners have access to the same core Microsoft rebate programmes. In fact, working through a distributor can make it easier to unlock and track earnings, with additional incentives layered on top by the distributor itself. What does change is the way information and enablement flow. Indirect partners often benefit from curated, actionable updates on Microsoft changes instead of having to wade through a mire of corporate communications. Distributors with seats on partner councils or close working relationships with Microsoft can also share roadmap insights and raise feedback on behalf of their partners. Co-selling is another area where indirect can add value. A strong distributor can act as an advocate, making introductions, advising on go-to-market strategy and aligning its efforts with Microsoft’s own sales priorities. Managing the migration From a technical perspective, moving from direct to indirect isn’t always straightforward. Migrating tenants and subscriptions without disruption requires planning, especially when customer billing is involved. But with the right support, the process can be smooth and low-risk. Structured onboarding is key. Dedicated teams, clear project ownership and thorough Microsoft’s recent changes to its Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) programme are set to cause upheaval across the channel, particularly for smaller MSPs that currently operate under a direct agreement. From 1st October 2025, the minimum revenue threshold to remain a direct CSP will more than triple, from just over $300,000 to $1 million, forcing many partners to rethink their relationship with a vendor they’ve long relied on as the foundation of their cloud and IT offerings. For some, the shift to an indirect relationship may feel like a setback. But we would argue that it presents a golden opportunity to simplify operations, reduce overheads and unlock new avenues for growth – if it’s approached with the right mindset and the right partner. Beyond billing The most immediate change for direct CSPs moving to an indirect model is likely to be operational. Tasks like invoicing, reconciliation and subscription management – once handled in-house – are typically absorbed by the distributor. Rather than building and maintaining custom billing systems, partners gain access to unified platforms that automate provisioning, reporting and support. This reduction in administrative burden gives MSPs some much needed breathing space. It means more time to focus on what really matters, such as customer service, go‑to-market planning and proposition. With less overhead and more agility, MSPs can scale faster and more sustainably. Rethinking support and control One of the most misunderstood aspects of the change is support. Direct partners are required to maintain an Advanced or Premier Support plan, an expensive global service that can feel impersonal. Under the indirect model, support is delivered by the distributor, which funds and manages the Microsoft contract on behalf of its partners. Oliver Gardner, Head of Microsoft Alliances at Giacom, argues that far from being a setback, imminent changes to Microsoft’s CSP programme are an opportunity for many MSPs to simplify operations and reduce overheads The million-dollar question: what does Microsoft’s new threshold really mean for your business? Oliver Gardner
01732 759725 of operational excellence from Danaher, who was part of the team that made that business such an amazing success. They did that by optimising business operations, leveraging new technology, streamlining processes and investing in people. TR: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing channel businesses today? DS: The biggest challenge is remaining relevant, with change coming from every direction. The hyperscalers have muscled into the industry very successfully, to the point where many analysts expect them to command more than one third of total IT spend. There is huge consolidation in the MSP space, where bigger appears better and closeness to the customer is critical for success. Finally, there’s no doubt that generative AI will create just as many challenges as opportunities. Governance, maintenance, testing and quality assurance of AI agents is a huge area. TR: Could vendors and distributors do more to help overcome these challenges? And if so, what? DS: Absolutely. Distributors sit between vendors and partners, helping partners become relevant to vendors and vendors become relevant to partners. It is important to anticipate what the future looks like and make sure you are building a business case that still has a place in that future. Hyperscalers, data engineering and GPT AI are all huge challenges, and the channel will need to be adept at solving them if they are to turn those challenges into opportunities. TR: If you could change one aspect of your job, what would it be and why? DS: I am happy with my job and every day I work to change it into the job I want it to be. This generally comes from passing on my knowledge, experience and responsibility to the team around me. I am becoming a ninja at delegation and sharing the workload. When I started the company there was just me, so by default I did everything. Now that I have 450 colleagues working with me, I have lots of experts to share the workload with. growing year-on-year by carefully blending double-digit organic growth with the integration of (and uplift from) our acquisitions. We remain optimistic about the future and expect to gain share in a growing market. TR: In what areas are you experiencing strongest demand? DS: At QBS Software we operate a software delivery platform that has two strengths – longtail software delivery and value-added distribution. Both areas are growing significantly, but with our new CRO Tom Corrigan on board we are seeking disproportionate growth in our VAD business, driven by demand gen and extra sales and marketing effort from our team. TR: What recent wins are you most proud of? DS: At the risk of singling out any particular deal, one that did make all of us proud was co-selling with a reseller on a federal government project to consolidate their entire software spend through a single reseller. We worked with the team to manage their complete long tail software through a single app, with co-termination, renewals management and rapid onboarding of new SaaS and software tools. TR: Where is business proving most difficult? DS: The main difficulty is integrating the systems of the acquisitions we have made. This starts with ensuring metadata and master data integrity and quality. I can see why the market for data engineering tools is so large, as every business is so dependent upon the quality of its data to make intelligent, automated decisions. Our highly experienced integrations team have the battle scars and grey hairs from all they have learnt on previous deals, so hopefully this challenge is getting solved better and quicker each time. TR: How have you changed/are you changing business operations to exploit new opportunities? DS: We are in the privileged position of being among the first to see many of the best and fastest growing software tools in the world. We have employed a new head QBS delivers the software that the world’s largest companies use every day through their partner of choice. As well as operating the largest channel-only software delivery platform in EMEA, featuring over 12,500 global and niche software vendors, QBS has a growing Value Added Distribution business built up through the completion of 15 acquisitions over the last 7 years. Based in London and with a headcount of 450, QBS represents vendors such as Opentext, Docusign, JetBrains, Delinea, Sharegate, Smartsheet and TeamViewer. Approximately 6,000 partners interact with the Group on a yearly basis. The company has just appointed software distribution expert Tom Corrigan as CRO as it looks to boost annual recurring revenue from over $600 million to $1 billion (see page 36). Here, Group CEO Dave Stevinson offers his view from the channel. Technology Reseller (TR): How’s business? Better or worse than 12 months ago? And how confident are you about the future? Dave Stevinson (DS): Business is going exceptionally well – there is an insatiable demand in the UK for software and this is being supercharged by data engineering, cybersecurity and generative AI. We are With Dave Stevinson, Group CEO of QBS Technology Group View from the channel… View from the channEL 08 Dave Stevinson
In a world of hybrid work, digitisation, and shifting workplace norms, the print sector is evolving fast. Discover how Brother UK is helping resellers stay ahead with a channel-centric strategy, sustainable MPS solutions and customer technology insights that drive recurring revenue and maximise business value. Hear directly from Phil Jones MBE, Managing Director of Brother UK, along with other guest industry experts, as they share insights and practical strategies to help keep you ahead. This isn’t just another event - if you’re not already working with Brother, it’s your chance to discover how we can help you future-proof your business. Places are limited so secure yours now. Join Brother UK’s MPS conference Future-proof your print strategy: Stay relevant, stay informed. Brother UK’s conference centre, Manchester Thursday 23rd October 2025, 11am-3pm � � ✓ � What to expect: • Workplace transformation and what this means for the channel • Unlocking new revenue streams with Brother MPS specialist print solutions • Supporting partners with hands-on sales and service enablement Supported by Print IT reseller
10 01732 759725 very capable in what they do. They really understand that market. They really understand the Teams ecosystem, the Zoom ecosystem. And they understand how to migrate from legacy phone systems into those platforms as well. So the first factor is their technical capability. But the second thing we couldn’t do it without is the trust of the channel. It’s the channel that has helped us achieve that 250,000 migrations milestone. If we weren’t delivering a great service to the channel, which then enables the channel themselves to go on and satisfy their end users’ needs, we wouldn’t have been able to reach that milestone. I’m grateful to every reseller that has put their faith in us for that business. TR: How has your evolving partnership with Zoom helped accelerate seat migrations? JC: I think we have to look at the journey that Zoom’s on overall. Zoom are on a phenomenal journey to become much more channel-centric, and we see that with the executive hires they have put in place in the last 12 months, who are really driving hard that move to become more and more channel-centric. And, stating the obvious, that benefits everyone in the channel, including ourselves. We work closely with Zoom on migration projects. We work with Zoom resellers on migration projects. So that channel focus from Zoom is really helping us drive our services business into the channel, which, of course, leads to more migrations, not just around telephony. We now provide services around Contact Centre for Zoom as well. TR: Migrations is obviously a key service capability of yours. What are some of the other services Nuvias UC provides to the channel? JC: Looking at how we interact with the channel at a technical and a service level, the channel uses us in different ways. Sometimes, it’s just about using our really capable pre-sales technical & infrastructure, cloud solutions and, thirdly, services. This means we can be much more focused, much more specialised, much more agile in our decision-making, and we’re already starting to feel the benefits of that, after such a short amount of time. TR: Do you have examples of how that new structure has benefited your customers? JC: We are Zoom’s largest distributor in Europe, so let’s take Zoom as an example. Zoom obviously resides as a software solution in our cloud solutions business where, by the way, we’ve seen phenomenal growth of about 29% over the last 12 months. Our teams are not only working on Zoom software, they also integrate with our devices and infrastructure business on what hardware is required or what SIP trunks are required for a solution, and then work with the services business on the services a partner might be able to use around Zoom as well. That’s just one example. If I take our devices and infrastructure business, where we have a deep understanding of things like session border controllers from Oracle and AudioCodes, again, that team works very seamlessly with our services business on how we deliver a joined-up approach encompassing the hardware and the services that support it into our reseller base. TR: You mention your phenomenal growth with Zoom, which includes migrating more than 250,000 seats to Zoom and Teams. What factors have contributed to that success? JC: It’s a great question. We’re excited about the milestone, and it’s worth just highlighting that all of the services we provide always go through the channel. We are a channel-oriented business. We never sell direct to end users. That 250,000-seat milestone is made up of a couple of success factors. The primary one is the fact that our teams are very, As part of Technology Reseller’s Director’s Cut series of interviews with industry leaders, Joel Chimoindes, CEO of Nuvias UC, recently provided an overview of key trends in converged communications, including telephony, video, unified communications as a service and contact centre as a service. This is an edited version of our conversation. You can see it in its entirety on the Technology Reseller website. Technology Reseller: To start with, please could tell us about Nuvias UC’s new divisional structure and the reasons for making that strategic shift? Joel Chimoindes (JC): The converged communications market is maturing, and it’s also becoming more complex. At an end user level, a converged communications solution now requires so many different components across hardware, software and services that, based on feedback from our customers and our vendors, we felt we needed to become even more specialist than we already were in those individual areas. So we split the business into devices INTERVIEW With Joel Chimoindes, CEO of Nuvias UC Joel Chimoindes Q&A
technologyreseller.co.uk 11 volume hardware is going to continue to be challenged. While we’ve seen a slowdown in that volume space, there’s been an acceleration in value hardware, solutions like Oracle and AudioCodes and that integration of legacy into new world platforms. As I’ve mentioned, our software business, our cloud solutions business is growing well, and we see that predominantly being driven by the likes of Zoom, but we also see good growth in Oracle, in AudioCodes and Pexip. And our services business is doing well because it is attached to that value and software business. How does our divisional structure help? Well, by putting our business into three very specialised divisions, we trult understand what’s going on in the market. It means the marketing we do, the partner enablement and the recruitment we do and the services we offer are very, very specific to the divisions they sit in. We can therefore align our capability, our capacity and our resources with those different market growth trends. TR: What can we look forward to from Nuvias UC in the rest of 2025? JC: As I said in our All Hands internally the other day, the only constant is change, and we will continue to evolve our business alongside changes in our industry. We will continue to deepen our relationships. We’ll expand our vendor portfolio, selectively I should add, looking for vendor partnerships that add to our ecosystem of solutions. We’ll announce some more of those in the months ahead. We’ll double down on our divisional structure. We’ll go faster. I think we’re quite agile as a business, but I always want us to be more agile and to make sure we are really attentive to our customers’ needs. That is super important, Those are the areas we’ll be focusing on. https://nuvias-uc.com/ TR: Where are you implementing AI? JC: When we started on the journey the fail fast mentality was absolutely key– we looked for big projects we could implement, where we were going to get big productivity gains. And that approach didn’t work for us. What we have now are little sparks going off from AI projects throughout our organisation, and they’re really starting to bear fruit. To give you a couple of specific examples. We built an AI engine called Nisha Nuvias, or Nisha AI as we refer to it internally, which is designed to answer pre-sales technical questions from our sales teams and, in the near future, from our customers as well. This allows our pre‑sales teams, our solutions architects to focus their efforts on complex customer needs, as opposed to having fairly simple product conversations. Then, on our website, we’ve recently launched an integration between Nisha AI and our ERP system, which allows partners to ask ‘where is my order?’ and Nisha AI will tell them where their order is currently and allow them to track it through the process. These are just two examples. We have examples in finance, in marketing and in vendor operations as well. TR: What trends are you observing in the market now, and how does your divisional structure help partners take advantage of them? JC: The trends are mixed, and they’re mixed within devices & infrastructure, cloud and the services business as well. Let’s start where it’s been slightly painful. That volume hardware business around things like MTR, video devices in meeting rooms, has matured quite quickly and has slowed down for numerous reasons – the fact that the market is slightly over-saturated post-Covid; ASPs coming down; and a reluctance to spend from enterprise organisations. I do think guys to support our resellers in demonstrations or customer end-user discussions. Or it may be the fact that when that moves on, they need help with the design of solutions and systems. It may be the fact that they need help with the implementation of those solutions. And of course, after that, it might be around managed services as well. So services are an extension of our portfolios. I always use the phrase they are designed to enhance the capability and the capacity of the channel. And, again, it would be remiss of me if I didn’t point out that we’re now the most accredited Zoom distributor globally able to deliver services on their behalf. But it’s not just Zoom we deliver services for. We deliver services for Oracle and AudioCodes. Microsoft, of course, is a large ecosystem for us. And we provide services for hardware vendors as well, like Yealink and our newest vendor Neat. TR: Migration services aside, what other services have your channel customers really embraced? JC: We’re seeing a high demand for CX contact centre services because the contact centre market is growing at around 14% CAGR. That continues to be a really great opportunity for partners. Obviously, AI and how you monetise AI is a hot topic. There’s some confusion in the channel, because while our vendor partners generally talk about AI in terms of products and features, what the channel is really interested in is how to monetise AI. So, when we talk to our partners, we talk about how we can help them build services or how can we give them a service that allows them to monetise AI. What do I mean by that? It’s about going into an end user and helping the end user to assess whether and how they can get business productivity out of AI. This is a journey that Nuvias UC is on as well, so the learnings we’re taking on board as we implement AI in our own organisation, we’re then building into services we’re able to take to market. INTERVIEW
35 Years +
14 01732 759725 RESELLER NEWS Red Helix gains new cyber assurance capabilities with Risk Crew acquisition Red Helix, the LDC-backed cyber security and network performance expert, is adding new cyber assurance capabilities to its offering through the acquisition of Risk Crew, a provider of information security GRC (governance, risk and compliance) consultancy and penetration testing to businesses in the UK and Europe. The integration of Risk Crew into Red Helix will enable clients of both businesses to access a wider range of cyber security services from a single, trusted partner. Marion Stewart, CEO of Red Helix, said: “The sheer scale of the cyber risks faced by businesses has never been greater and we are committed to supporting our clients in the fight against cyber-crime. Adding broader cyber assurance services and skills to our business bolsters our ability to deliver on this mission.” Formerly Phoenix Datacom, Red Helix provides network optimisation services to network operators of all sizes and 24/7/365 threat monitoring and best-in-class cybersecurity tools to SMEs. Last year, the Buckinghamshireheadquartered business invested £1 million in its UK-based 24/7 security operations centre (SOC), including a 150% increase in headcount, following a ten-fold increase in customer numbers. Combining best-of-breed technologies with human expertise, the SOC protects customers’ users, devices, networks, data and applications in cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments. www.redhelix.com … PEAC Solutions acquires Hardware as a Service platform PEAC Solutions has expanded its online finance offerings and strengthened its capabilities in Hardware as a Service (HaaS) by acquiring topi, provider of a fully digital platform that enables retailers and manufacturers to offer IT hardware subscriptions to business customers. Berlin-headquartered topi’s suite of API‑based tools can be integrated by an OEM, reseller or merchant at point of sale whether that’s online, in a call centre or in‑store, giving business customers the ability to acquire IT hardware and smartphones on a subscription basis. William Stephenson, Global CEO of PEAC Solutions, said: “The continued transformation of our industry towards ‘as a service’ subscription models is undeniable. We are confident that this strategic acquisition of topi will be a massive differentiator for PEAC Solutions. It will allow us to deliver an innovative solution to our partners and customers, and it will play an integral role in the ambitious growth strategy that we have for the technology sector and other target markets.” www.peacsolutions.com … Atos launches SIVO service Atos, a global provider of IT services across cloud, cybersecurity, data & AI, application services, smart platforms and digital workplace, plus localised consulting services, is adding Security Investment Validation and Optimisation (SIVO) to its Security Advisory Portfolio in the UK&I. SIVO helps CISOs address the challenges of cybersecurity tool sprawl and Aspire surpasses £50m revenue milestone two years early Aspire Technology Solutions, the Gateshead-based provider of managed IT, cybersecurity and modern workplace solutions, is targeting a turnover of more than £100 million by 2030 after surpassing its £50 million revenue target for 2027 two years ahead of schedule. In the financial year ending February 2025, Aspire’s revenue rose by 28% to £50.9m, up from £39.6m in FY24, with 83% of total revenue coming from long-term service relationships. Over the last 10 years, revenue has grown by almost 600%, from £8m in 2015. Adjusted EBITDA in FY 2025 rose by 33% to £8.8m, up from £6.6m in FY24. The LDC-backed company’s performance was underpinned by continued regional expansion, notably the acquisition of Leeds-based CloudCoco Limited in October 2024, following the earlier acquisition of Glasgow-based Cloud Cover IT in December 2023; the addition of 250 new customers; and investment of £1.7m in new technology, including private cloud and network enhancements, plus new AI-powered tools that have improved service speed and resolution, contributing to a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 87.2. Alongside infrastructure investment, Aspire has continued to advance its in-house R&D efforts, focusing on cloud platform development, secure communications and billing tools based on customer feedback and market demand. Chris Fraser, CEO of Aspire, said: “Our strategy continues to focus on delivering measurable value for our customers. From staying at the forefront of service innovation to expanding our regional presence, every decision this year has built on our strengths, making us even faster, more responsive, and easier for customers to work with. We’re proud of the growth we’ve achieved, but even more so of the trust our customers continue to place in us.” In May 2025, Aspire received a Royal Warrant from King Charles III in recognition of its services to the Royal Household. L-R: Tom Howard, CFO and Chris Fraser, CEO outside Aspire’s vibrant Quayside-based HQ CCS Media and Servium fully integrated into Advania UK Technology Solutions Partner Advania UK has become a major force in the UK technology market with the successful integration of CCS Media and Servium, both acquired last year. Completion of this process boosts Advania UK’s turnover by 330% to £452 million, quadruples its client base to approaching 10,000 and increases its headcount to over 1,500 employees in more than 20 locations in the UK & Ireland, South Africa and the U.S. Geoff Kneen, CEO of Advania UK, said: “This is more than just the bringing together of our three businesses. It’s the launch of a new kind of technology partner. Bringing together the strengths of Advania and the extensive hardware and VAR expertise of both CCS Media & Servium takes our capabilities and customer satisfaction to the next level. As the tech company with people at heart, this brings greater opportunities for our people to have broader and more varied career options, and the combined value we can take to our clients is unmatched.” Advania provides clients with an extensive range of cloud managed services, software and hardware from leading vendors including Cisco, Dell, HP, HPE, Lenovo and Microsoft. At a group level, the Nordic IT services provider recently added cutting-edge AI transformation capabilities through its acquisition of Nordic consultancy The AI Framework. http://www.advania.co.uk/ Geoff Kneen Marion Stewart Red Helix
RESELLER NEWS technologyreseller.co.uk 15 duplication by providing an overarching view of a customer’s cybersecurity tools and making sure they are deployed efficiently, cost-effectively and provide the necessary cyber protection. During an 8-10 week SIVO consultation, Atos will review security tooling and confirm coverage against the Mitre ATT@CK Framework; identify security tools with duplicate capabilities that can be retired to save money; and support the implementation of new tools to close any security gaps. https://atos.net/en/ … Support for VMware white label partners Two UK digital transformation companies, ANS and Node4, are helping channel partners assess their options following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware and subsequent changes to its partner program that limit licence reselling and white-label offerings to a select group of Pinnacle Partners. ANS, one of only two VMware Sovereign Cloud Partners in the UK and a Pinnacle Partner for VMware by Broadcom, has launched a Broadcom Navigator Service to guide partners through their options following Broadcom’s restructuring of its VMware partner model. The Broadcom Navigator Service offers discovery and assessment of a partner’s business, covering infrastructure, product offering, capabilities and licensing position, and a tailored transition roadmap aligned to each partner’s goals, whether that is to be a Pinnacle Partner, to shift to public cloud platforms like AWS or Azure or to explore alternative hypervisor solutions. Combined with ANS’s commercial resale model, this will enable partners to resell cloud services under a clear, scalable framework, supported by ANS’s marketing and sales enablement, co-branded whitelabel customer campaigns, content assets and a dedicated Partner Portal for quoting, provisioning and support. Meanwhile, Node4, which has been retained as a Pinnacle Partner to deliver VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) at scale, has announced a comprehensive partner support initiative for former VMware white label partners that have received notice that their VMware contracts will not be renewed beyond March 31, 2027. The initiative includes VMware support until March 2027, with Node4 honouring current white label contracts until expiry; the supply, post-2007, of fully compliant VMware managed services under Node4’s own agreements; support of seamless migrations from legacy platforms; and the development of partner-centric commercial models, technical enablement and part-funded migration assistance. www.ans.co.uk … Wavenet launches CyberGuard as a Service Managed services and security provider Wavenet is targeting MSPs and resellers, especially those without in-house security expertise, with the launch of a white-labelled, continued... iplicit adds Candura to partner programme Candura, a specialist in helping mid-market organisations transform their finance function, has joined cloud accounting provider iplicit’s growing reseller programme to address what both firms view as a massively underserved mid-market. They estimate that there are tens of thousands of sites that are still reliant on manual data entry, outdated on-premises finance and ERP systems or entry-level cloud solutions that they have out-grown. By partnering with iplicit to deliver a cloud accounting solution purpose-built and accessible to the UK’s mid-market, Candura plans to extend its offering beyond Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A). Chris Harman, Founder of Candura, said: “We’re excited to be teaming up with iplicit. As mid-market specialists, we both understand the challenges mid-market businesses are facing and how limited they are by the finance software they are using today. Our mission is to enable finance teams to be more strategic by removing the outdated legacy tech and repetitive tasks that prevent them from focusing on higher-value, more empowering work.” Paula Cooper, Head of Channel at iplicit added: “2025 has seen us continue to build on our momentum in the market with the support of a carefully curated partner network, chosen for their industry expertise and shared commitment to excellent mid-market customer service and solutions. Partners like Candura are an invaluable part of our growth, strengthening our delivery capabilities and becoming part of our community alongside our accountancy partners and direct team.” Launched in January 2019, iplicit has more than 43,000 daily users in 103 countries. Its software integrates with other cloud applications and provides users with realtime reporting capabilities, automated data migration, rapid implementation and a public API to break down data silos. www.iplicit.com www.candura.co.uk Paula Cooper O2 Daisy ready to shake-up B2B technology sector The official launch of O2 Daisy, created from the merger of Virgin Media O2 Business and Daisy Group, introduces a new force to the B2B technology sector. Now operating as one team, O2 Daisy brings together the large customer base and fixed and mobile networks of Virgin Media O2 with the broad product offering and B2B expertise of Daisy Group. It is already the country’s second largest provider of business solutions to small and medium-sized business, with around £1.4 billion in annual pro forma revenues and hundreds of thousands of customers spanning SMEs, large enterprises, public sector bodies and indirect partners. Customers will benefit from a comprehensive portfolio of digital-first connectivity and managed IT services including data and WiFi solutions, modern workplace tools, 5G Private Networks, cloud‑based services, cybersecurity offerings, Teams Phone Mobile and more, all from one supplier. O2 Daisy is fully consolidated by Virgin Media O2, with a 70/30 ownership structure, and will be led by Chairman Matthew Riley and CEO Jo Bertram, supported by Paul Milton, Chief Financial Officer; Dave McGinn, CEO, Small and Medium Enterprise; Jo Watts, Chief Operating Officer of Large Enterprise and Public Sector; Paul Edwards, Chief Technology and Information Officer; Lizz Poltawski, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer; Alison Bawn, Chief People Officer; and Nigel Smith, General Counsel. The new entity will continue to serve customers under their existing brands during the integration phase. Jo Bertram
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