This article first appeared in News in the Channel issue #36.
As we head into another year, a range of thought leaders from across the channel give their opinion on what 2026 might have in store for the channel and what the major trends could be.
After a mixed 2025 for the channel, with resellers and MSPs looking to innovate and provide a wider range services against a background of continuing economic uncertainty, attention is now turning to 2026 and what that might bring.
With political uncertainty around the world and continuing negligible economic growth, there are challenges ahead, but nevertheless there is optimism in the channel about the coming year, with technological advances – particularly involving AI – providing new and varied opportunities.
Over the following pages, a range of thought leaders from across the channel give their perspective on what 2026 could look like.
Jason Chibnall, managing director, Hammer Distribution
As we enter 2026, Hammer Distribution is extremely optimistic about the future. This optimism is built on a year of successfully relaunching the Hammer brand, which clearly communicates our core identity: a long-standing association with market-leading enterprise storage and highly technical sales teams that design real solutions.
This confidence leads us to a new, bold discipline for 2026: AI Works. This initiative leverages our existing expertise and portfolio to help customers navigate and solve AI infrastructure challenges. We will deliver differentiated, tangible AI platforms through direct access to our unrivalled team and our trusted vendor community technologists. Furthermore, our European Reach programme will continue to drive the Hammer Difference into the Netherlands, Benelux, Germany and the Nordics with further investment in facilities and people.
We believe 2026 will be a good, albeit dynamic, year for the wider channel, offering significant opportunities. The major trend for infrastructure will be the unprecedented demand driven by hyperscaler and sovereign-sponsored data centre projects worldwide. For the end user, AI will become increasingly embedded in desktop compute and devices, transforming how people work and fuelling new opportunities for the channel to enable this shift. We anticipate the consolidation and rationalisation themes seen in 2025 to continue, creating a new dynamic that vendors and partners must adapt to.
The primary challenge for businesses in the infrastructure channel will be supply chain constraints. The huge, global demand for data centre technologies will undoubtedly strain the supply of storage and memory categories. This is likely to affect the direct supply of components and impact finished solution technologies, leading to significant price increases across many segments.
Existentially, geopolitical uncertainty will remain a constant theme, requiring the channel to maintain the agility shown in 2025 to manage shipping, tariffs and regulatory adjustments. For those in the channel ready to embrace change and invest in next-generation technology like AI, 2026 promises to be a pivotal year of progress and innovation. For Hammer, this is not a challenge, it’s an opportunity to lead with clarity, confidence and collaboration.
Mike Barron, UK managing director, SYNAXON
We have ambitious targets for 2026, and I am confident it will be another good year for SYNAXON UK. Our partnerships with resellers, distributors and vendor partners are getting stronger and we have a talented team of people who are focused on delivering the best customer service.
I’m sure the IT industry and the wider channel will do well – especially if we see a more sustained return of general business confidence. Whether that happens or not, it’s all about how well you look after your customers, and who delivers the best and most personal level of service. Whether the wider industry is doing well or struggling, that’s what matters and makes the real difference.
In 2026, we expect to see the client upgrade wave continuing for some time: not everyone has yet stepped up to Windows 11 and AI will, of course, continue to be a significant driver. Supply constraints on SDD, HDD and RAM are going to have an impact at some point, with AI data centres taking up most of the available supply.
There will also be much more focus on infrastructure investment. For many businesses, this is long overdue now. Our advice to partners is to start talking to customers about server, storage, power management and connectivity upgrades as soon as possible, and work with our team to plan ahead and make sure you are ready to meet customer needs.
Doing profitable business has and always will be the challenge for partners. Every reseller has services and added-value elements but beyond that, they still need to maximise their margins in every way they can. They also need to know that they can rely upon and trust their supplier partners to look after them and deliver on their promises. It’s understanding and getting these simple things right that makes all the difference.
Spencer Starkey, executive VP EMEA, SonicWall
In 2026, the UK’s chronic underinvestment in cybersecurity over the past decade will become increasingly visible as these threats escalate. Without a decisive shift in funding and strategy, especially toward AI-native defences, we risk a scenario where our public services and critical infrastructure simply cannot keep up with the velocity of attacks.
It’s also clear that UK sectors once seen as low risk for cyberattacks are now in the spotlight. The breaches of M&S and JLR highlighted how retailers and manufacturing giants are now just as vulnerable as critical national infrastructure.
This shift will intensify in 2026. Retail, logistics, automotive manufacturing and even food distribution face rising pressures as they become targets. Adversaries will increasingly lean on AI-assisted hacks to probe and exploit the systems businesses rely on to keep operations running.
Without substantial investment in modern defences, particularly those capable of identifying and countering AI-driven threats, 2026 could see significant disruptions affecting millions of consumers and businesses across the UK.
The defining security trend of 2026 will be the emergence of continuous, AI-versus-AI conflict: autonomous defensive models battling autonomously evolving threats in real time. Those who fail to embrace this shift will find themselves unprepared for the sophistication speed, and persistence of attacks that are quickly becoming the new normal.
Rachel Rothwell, regional director, Zyxel Networks
We are certainly feeling positive about the prospects for our partners in 2026. Managed services are now the clear direction for a high proportion of our partners. We see that accelerating as more end user customers look to pass the responsibility for managing networks and cybersecurity on to an expert services provider. We also believe 2026 is going to be a year in which customers turn their focus once again to spending on their infrastructure and connectivity – and that is going to bring more potential for partners to drive their managed services business, to add value, and grow.
I think 2026 will be good for the wider channel, but to some extent, it’s about the channel getting out there and making it happen. Whether there is an economic recovery or not, technology has a role to play in driving higher levels of efficiency and cost savings and delivering a better experience for users and customers. We always need to be positive and keep on selling the benefits we can deliver.
In terms of trends in 2026, in networking the big trends will be the migrations to WiFi 7 and to multi-gig switching. Most businesses have infrastructure that’s creaking under the strain of cloud, cybersecurity and AI workloads – these technologies can deliver the bandwidth they need. Protecting the whole of the network will be even more important and we see two trends here: growing use of unified security gateways that combine multiple security technologies into a single firewall appliance, and the further growth of managed security services.
The main challenge for partners will be how to do more with the same resources. The shift to managed services means that end user customers are much more reliant on their partner and as more SMBs adopt managed services, MSPs need to scale-up to take opportunities and keep service levels high. We’ve been building AI-driven fault-finding and resolution capabilities into our Nebula platform that will enable them to scale up faster and without massively expanding their resources and headcount.
Cian O’Hare, EMEA AI & data lead, Accenture
In 2026, AI in EMEA will move beyond pilots and platforms to drive true enterprise reinvention. Leading organisations will fundamentally redesign how work gets done, how decisions are made, and how value is created — embedding AI across every function, not as a toolset, but as part of the operating model itself.
The shift will move from transactional technology adoption to value-led co-innovation, underpinned by strong data foundations, responsible AI governance, and large-scale workforce reskilling. Companies that succeed will treat data as a strategic asset, modernise their operating models and enable employees to collaborate productively with intelligent systems at scale.
In a region as diverse and highly regulated as EMEA, competitive advantage will increasingly come from orchestrating trusted ecosystems that combine technology, talent and deep industry expertise. Those who can scale AI responsibly, tailor solutions to local market realities and deliver measurable outcomes – not just deployments – will define the next wave of enterprise growth.
David Watts, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX
We are cautiously optimistic about the coming year. In 2025, there was a focus on client device upgrades. In 2026 we expect to see a focus on infrastructure spending, with deferred projects being revived and reinvigorated. We also remain optimistic about the prospects for AI, cloud and cybersecurity and expect these areas to grow in 2026.
From an operational perspective, we have benefited from putting a keen focus on delivering higher levels of service to our partners – that made a difference, and in the coming year it will be important to build on the high standards and expectations that we have set.
I’m expecting it to be a good year for the further development of ecosystems, partnering and collaboration. The channel has been developing quickly. Wave after wave of complex and fast-moving technologies have raised the level of knowledge and capability partners need if they are to deliver complete solutions. One partner can’t do it all. This is why we have seen the development of industry ecosystems and increased levels of partnering. I think we’ll see that continuing to grow and gather momentum in 2026.
In addition, cloud and cybersecurity will continue to grow, in terms of their importance and the business opportunities they generate. They remain major areas of focus for us. The other will be AI. We’ve made great strides with our Destination AI programme, and we expect many more partners to get involved in 2026 as they look to develop an effective practice that can harness and deliver the power of this exciting technology to their end user customers.
For our partners, the perennial challenge is how to embrace ever-more complex solutions and technologies and deliver the benefits to their customers, while also continuing to run their day-to-day business. What they can be sure of is that we will be ready to support them in dealing with whatever challenges.
Mark Wilkinson, Regional Vice President – UK & Ireland, ACCO
We enter 2026 with cautious optimism. For ACCO, the year ahead is about growth through focus and agility. Our priorities include strengthening partnerships with resellers and wholesalers, defending core categories, and accelerating diversification into adjacent spaces such as ergonomic furniture, signage and visual communication and workplace tools, as well as driving further innovation in business machines.
These areas align with evolving workplace needs as employers continue to invest in collaborative environments and employee wellbeing and demand from traditional OP declines due to the digitisation of the workplace.
For the wider channel, 2026 should bring opportunity, provided businesses adapt to shifting customer expectations. Procurement is increasingly digital, and marketplaces remain dominant, demanding excellence in content, pricing and availability. Sustainability will remain a key purchasing driver, with ESG metrics influencing sourcing decisions. At the same time, hybrid working patterns will continue to shape demand, favouring smaller pack sizes and ergonomic solutions.
Major trends will include the maturing of AI and automation, not as buzzwords but as practical tools for forecasting, content creation and assortment optimisation. Security will also rise on the agenda as businesses seek resilience in an era of heightened cyber risk. We also expect continued emphasis on sustainability as consumers and workplaces get ever more discerning.
Elsewhere, challenges remain. Macroeconomic volatility and pricing pressure will test margins, while consolidation will reshape competitive dynamics. The ability to differentiate – through innovation, service and brand strength – will be critical. For ACCO, that means disciplined execution, leveraging technology and embedding sustainability at the heart of our offer. The channel’s success in 2026 will hinge on adaptability: those who embrace change and invest in capabilities will thrive.
Andrew Cooper, Head of Nimans Connect
Economically, 2026 will be tough and resellers need to be adaptable and embrace change especially with the development that AI brings and a changing global landscape. Satellite broadband will possibly start to become more the norm to bridge gaps where there are accessibility issues – i.e. will Starlink extend its reach into the mainstream mobile market?
In addition, looking at the 2027 switch off, Openreach will take a hard stance with no further deadline extensions, although interim, limited solutions will be available to protect the vulnerable, as already announced. I think there will be a bottleneck towards the end of 2026 to get upgrades over the line, with engineer resource becoming stretched and many customers being left with downgraded and limited services because they held back on switching to fibre.
Anthony Dobson, Regional Director, sales for enterprise computing solutions business in the UK&I, Arrow
Throughout 2025, we continued to strengthen our channel enablement capabilities, refining and adding to the resources channel partners use every day, and enhancing the support they rely on for strategy and delivery. Channel partners are also looking at how they can build in automation to deliver clearer insight into how environments behave and where efficiencies can be created. These shape how we approach 2026, with focus on enabling operational confidence, supporting skills development and ensuring channel partners have access to guidance that aligns with the pace and complexity of modern IT.
Key technology themes including cloud, security, data protection and increasingly AI continue to shape how many organisations manage their IT environments. End customers are concentrating on improving data quality, aligning tools across teams, and creating shared visibility so operational decisions can be made more easily. As AI integration expands, it is being applied where it can bring the greatest operational benefit, reducing manual effort, supporting governance, and allowing channel partners to focus more of their time on higher-value engagement rather than routine admin.
Many channel partners are working across technology estates that span the complexities of multiple clouds, vendors and consumption models, while also managing security, governance, reporting and integration requirements. This places increasing importance on technical expertise and clear operational processes, which are not always readily available in-house. To support this, we provide access to specialist knowledge, structured enablement and resources that help channel partners strengthen their capabilities and align workflows to manage their end customer technology estates.
Simone Larsson, EMEA Head of Enterprise, Lenovo ISG
In 2026, energy will overtake compute as the primary design constraint for AI infrastructure across EMEA. Europe’s grid systems remain under significant strain, with the International Energy Agency projecting continued electricity demand growth and persistent price volatility through 2026. At the same time, organisations are approaching ambitious sustainability commitments set pre-pandemic, forcing CIOs to treat energy not as an operational cost, but as a strategic limitation. Every watt now matters.
This shift will fundamentally redirect infrastructure strategy. Data centre planning will begin with energy availability, efficiency and location, not server density. Power-aware design encompassing low-footprint systems, advanced cooling and intelligent workload placement, will become essential, particularly in secondary markets and edge locations with limited grid capacity. Regions with favourable energy profiles, such as the Nordics with abundant renewables, will continue to attract AI investments, while Southern and Eastern Europe accelerate innovation in colocation and micro-grid development. Across the Middle East and Africa, hybrid and on-site generation models will move from experimental to mainstream as enterprises seek to stabilise and scale AI operations.
As compute demand accelerates faster than utilities can expand capacity, energy access becomes the new competitive differentiator. Colocation facilities will shift to the centre of AI deployment thanks to their proximity to renewable clusters, high-density rack support and scalable interconnects. Decisions across the infrastructure stack – hardware, cooling, network architecture and workload placement – will increasingly revolve around power availability, efficiency and compliance.
By 2026, organisations across EMEA will shift from traditional automation into the era of agentic AI: intelligent systems capable of taking autonomous actions to personalise experiences, streamline operations and augment employees in every sector. In retail, this means deeper customer engagement and more adaptive service. In manufacturing, agentic systems will optimise production flows, anticipate disruptions and reduce downtime. In financial services, they will support advisors with real-time insights while strengthening fraud detection, and in the public sector, agentic AI will help deliver faster, more citizen-centric services at scale.
The ROI from earlier AI investments – from computer vision for loss prevention to predictive maintenance and workflow automation – will become reinvestment capital fuelling this next phase of transformation. As organisations navigate diverse customer needs and complex regulatory environments, agentic AI will become a strategic advantage, enabling them to operate with greater responsiveness, efficiency and empathy.
In 2026, agentic AI won’t replace the human element, it will elevate it, enhancing every interaction where people and processes meet.
Bill Conner, President and CEO, Jitterbit
If there is an AI bubble, it will only burst for the people building on hype instead of solid foundations. The ones who’ll come out on top in 2026 are those investing in strong connections between their data, their systems and their people.
AI can’t do anything meaningful if it’s stuck in disconnected silos. The companies winning right now, and who will stay winning in 2026, are the ones using integration and automation to turn accountable AI from a shiny idea into actual business results.
The gap between hype and real, long-term impact ultimately comes down to execution. When your data moves smoothly and your systems can actually talk to each other, AI stops being another buzzword and it starts making a real difference.
If there is an AI bubble and it does burst for those building on hype, it won’t signal the end of progress, but rather a shift toward organisations that prioritise substance, integration and sustainable innovation.
Jamie Moles, Senior Technical Manager, ExtraHop
AI agents are increasingly being integrated into business workflows and already becoming a new attack surface as most organisations still have no idea how to govern them. If an attacker compromises one, they’ll get all the access without any of the scrutiny. In 2026, these agents need to be treated like high-risk identities and managed like a normal employee: monitored, restricted and continuously verified. Blind trust in opaque systems is how breaches happen and AI governance will be even more key in 2026.
Identity-based attacks will continue to be a focal threat to enterprises in 2026, especially as cloud and third-party integrations multiply. Even with perfect patching and verification tools, a single convincing phishing attack can undo everything. The onus then will be on the internal east–west network traffic – watching what happens after someone gets in and identifying suspicious behaviours early. Businesses need to treat identity as a living, shifting system.
In addition, legacy systems will become beacons for threat actors. Everyone knows they’re fragile, everyone’s scared to touch them, and that hesitation is exactly what criminals exploit. Modernisation is now imperative to risk reduction, it’s not just a nice-to-have. The systems you’re too nervous to change are the ones threat actors will target first.
But the human element will remain the weak point no matter how much automation we add. People still read MFA codes aloud, approve unfamiliar access requests, and get pressured into quick decisions. And as agentic tools take over routine tasks, humans can become even easier to trick. Regular reinforcement and removing decision pressure will be the key factors to managing this risk.
Jen Wilson, co-founder and Operations Director, Illuminate Learning
For 2026, unified communications will be less about the platforms themselves and far more about the value customers actually get from them. Most organisations already have more tools than they know what to do with. What they are looking for now is clarity.
AI will play a big role, but not in the way the marketing suggests. Basic features such as transcription and meeting notes are already expected. The real differentiator will be how well partners help customers apply intelligence to everyday work – simplifying processes, reducing friction and making better decisions. All while keeping control, security and governance firmly in place.
UCaaS will continue to underpin collaboration strategies, but on its own it is no longer enough. Customers increasingly expect their communications tools to connect naturally with CRM systems, service platforms and core business applications. For partners, this shifts the conversation away from licences and towards integration, optimisation and ongoing service.
Hybrid work is also settling into a more realistic phase. The focus is moving from where people work to how work actually happens: fewer unnecessary meetings, better collaboration across locations, and experiences that work for everyone, not just those in the room.
Ultimately, customers will judge success on meaningful outcomes, Partners who can evidence real improvements in productivity and customer experience will be the ones that stand out in 2026.
Jay Snyder, SVP of Partners and Alliances, Dynatrace
In 2026, AI will stop operating as an isolated discipline and will become a normal component of cloud-native software delivery. Teams will integrate AI into digital services the same way they integrate databases or other core systems.
As a result, AI engineering, cloud engineering, SRE, and security will converge into a shared operating model with common pipelines, shared SLOs and unified accountability for the full lifecycle of AI-enabled services. This shift has major implications for channel partners, which serve as the intermediary between this technology and their customers.
To reflect this evolution in how modern software behaves, end-to-end observability will be essential to making sure that AI operates reliably in production. For example, ensuring that AI runs within the same workflows, guardrails and delivery pipelines used for the rest of the cloud-native system.
For channel partners, this means a growing need to implement and manage holistic observability stacks that span AI, application, and cloud layers, removing the distinction between ‘AI observability’ and traditional telemetry so customers benefit from a unified operating model.
This is the most exciting piece for our partners who sit at the bleeding intersection between industry and technology. With AI, they deliver more robust business-driven insights and outcomes than ever before.
