When 1000 SIs discuss the future of the channel

On 23rd October Canalys kicked off the formal agenda of its largest ever event, and the largest independent IT channel conference the APAC region. The event was held at Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand wherein close to 1000 channel partners primarily system integrators participated. This is the second edition of APAC event and the previous forum was conducted in Singapore last year.

Sandy Fitzpatrick, Canalys Co-founder and VP, Channels said, "We chose the theme "Leading through transitions" for this year's event to embrace the breadth of change channel partners are facing. "

"Now more than ever, customers need partners that help them bridge the gap between the promise of the benefits to business and the reality of adoption in areas such as cloud, security, big data and mobility," said Meg Whitman, president and CEO, HP. She further added, "HP's solutions for the new style of IT, combined with a refreshed partner program, help customers realize the full benefits of next-generation technologies, and partners gain a competitive advantage and increase profitability."

César Cernuda, president, Microsoft Asia-Pacific said, "Transition in the software space is picking up pace. "Microsoft sees four ‘mega-trends' that are driving the transition in the IT industry, and this is happening at an accelerated pace in the APAC region. From modern consumers demanding mobile and social experiences, we have created the modern employee who wants to empower interaction. The result is the modern business that designs success on data-driven decision-making, all enabled by the modern data center that is cost-efficient and productive."

The challenges associated with an increasingly connected world are also driving transitions. "The world as we know it is mobile, virtual, social and secure, and the ability to connect the unconnected continues to be a game-changer for the IT industry. The demands for cloud adoption as we move toward the Internet of Everything (IoE) have resulted in our ecosystem of channels and partners transforming their businesses to offer services and analytics. This will increase their relevance to customers and open up a whole new revenue source," said Sabrina Lin, VP, commercial business, APAC, Japan and Greater China at Cisco. "Cisco's focus at the Canalys Channels Forum in Bangkok in 2013 is to showcase how we are developing our partners into industry leaders as we, together, welcome what tomorrow brings."

These changes have highlighted the importance of simplicity and confidence. "EMC is focused on the three most important priorities in information technology that are transforming the way customers do business: cloud computing, big data and trusted IT. Through the investments in R&D and acquisitions that keep EMC's market-leading edge, and our unmatched dedication to keeping our business partner program simple, predictable and profitable, our partners are uniquely positioned to help our joint customers on their IT transformation journey," said Bill Scannell, President, Global Sales and Customer Operations for EMC.

Escalating IT intensity and volume is not without resource challenges. "We are currently living in an increasingly dynamic environment where energy pressures are growing, big data is booming, and both large and small organizations are feeling the strain," said Philippe Arsonneau, senior VP, Schneider Electric's IT Business in Asia Pacific and Japan. "At this year's Canalys Channels Forum, Schneider Electric looks forward to discussing the current state of the IT industry, while specifically addressing how SMBs can maximize their small IT spaces intelligently," added Arsonneau.

The event seems to have touched upon the right nerves amongst the channel fraternity. The common message across seems to be about the changing dynamics of the IT industry and embracing the change before the rest to ensure growth and profitability.

Commenting on the event, Pradeep Jhawar, managing director, Bard Roy Infotech said, "This is my second time at this event and it has delivered as per our my expectations. The information sharing has been on top quality and qualitative in nature. This forum provides a good platform to interact with CEOs from various companies hailing from different countries in the APAC region." He further added, "This forum provides us with technological insights and emerging trends which enable to chart our future roadmap." On similar lines, Sanjay Kulkarni, director and CEO, Sunfire Technologies said, "This forum provides quality sessions that provides in depth insights and discusses emerging trends. The forum is great platform for knowledge sharing and networking opportunity."