With the calendar having turned over to 2025, it is time to look forward to what the next 12 months may have in store for businesses in the channel. Here, a range of experts give their thoughts on what could lie ahead.
As those who read our review of 2024 in the December issue of News in the Channel know, there is a sense of optimism among businesses in the channel currently. After a year of relatively stable trading, and a new accepted normal for businesses, those in the channel are looking to take advantage of the opportunities on offer from new technologies and changing customer demands.
Over the next pages, a range of experts from across the channel give their assessment on what the next 12 months could look like.
Mark Wilkinson, regional vice president – UK & Ireland, ACCO
In 2024, ACCO performed well in a very tough market environment. While we did not achieve everything we wanted to, we are confident we have taken share and put in place good foundations for 2025. We grew in several segments and took share in some other declining categories.
We expect that the channel will again be a tough place in 2025, due to the economic backdrop and continued geopolitical uncertainty. Consumer and business sentiment are still at lower levels than we’d like to see, though return to office and in some cases five-day working weeks will garner some momentum. The technology channel should look a bit healthier in 2025.
In terms of technology, AI is clearly a huge talking point, but I believe that many companies are struggling to work out how to use it productively to the best effect in their business. For AI to genuinely drive productivity and growth, we would need to have seen significant changes in companies around headcount and AI driven growth and we’re not seeing that yet. So, I think we’re not yet at the point of breakthrough with AI, i.e. stellar growth allied with lower headcount, but that is not to say that AI won’t do that beyond 2025.
Elsewhere, health and wellbeing, sustainability and business leaders’ desire to get folks back in the office will be key factors in 2025. I expect to see continued growth in workplace furniture, ergonomics, visual communication and some technology segments as well as sustained growth from our sustainable product ranges as consumers look to make choices that minimise impact on the environment.
At ACCO we’re optimistic about 2025, though not complacent. We think there are opportunities to be found, but vendors and resellers will have to be agile and innovative to take advantage of them in what will be more widely another challenging external environment.
Chris Shaw, head of channel, UK&I, AvePoint
2024 was a transformative year for AvePoint. As of Q3 2024, we saw growth of 15% in channel sales, driven primarily by our strategic partnerships and innovative product offerings for data governance, security and resilience.
The positive trends observed in the channel throughout 2024 – and the growth we saw even within our partnerships – are projected to continue into 2025. For example, we’ve been working with BackupVault, which specialises in data protection solutions. Initially, we solely worked with them on data resiliency solutions, but once they learned how vast our technology expertise is, they started using AvePoint for data migrations. On top of that, our technology supports multi-cloud organisations so BackupVault can work with us for customers who may have Microsoft and Google workloads. Additionally, some BackupVault customers primarily work in Microsoft and others in Salesforce, and we can support that too. Multi-cloud data resilience solutions will be key in 2025 – and we’re eager to tackle this market opportunity with our partners.
AvePoint’s new benchmarking capabilities for Copilot and our advanced data security solutions will also play a pivotal role in 2025. As businesses increasingly adopt AI technologies like Copilot, Gemini and Einstein, the need for robust data governance and security becomes paramount. Our benchmarking tools provide partners with the insights needed to optimise AI deployment and performance and gives them the ability to compare against peers. Additionally, our data security solutions will be in high demand as organisations seek to protect their multi-cloud environments and enhance data resilience. These offerings will meet the growing needs of our customers and drive growth and innovation within the channel.
AvePoint continues to invest in our channel business, and demand for our solutions is there, especially across workloads like Microsoft, Google and Salesforce. Many channel partners come to us because we service multi-cloud environments which is common, and I suspect will continue in 2025.
Ross Teague, CEO, Nebula Global Services
Overall, 2024 was an incredible year for Nebula as we experienced some significant growth and achieved several major contract wins. We were also proud of some high-profile business award wins.
I largely expect the trends in the channel in 2024 will continue into 2025. The market is incredibly competitive, end customers know how important their business is and decisions and deals are going to be hard to get and I do not see that changing in 2025. In fact, I suspect decision-making periods will elongate and the competitive landscape intensify. But I still feel there is a fantastic opportunity for organisations that are innovative, creative, provide customers real value adds and help customers define strategies that enhance their business, which again has been the case for a reasonable period now.
AI is the massive talking point everywhere you go now, but I feel most organisations are still trying to figure out what this means for them and how to build an AI strategy and I don’t see that changing dramatically in 2025. This could be a year of AI discovery and how to utilise all the power and benefits of it within organisations strategically as opposed to just certain users adopting the technology for personal development and use. I don’t see any slowdown in cyber, in fact, in an ever-more geopolitically unstable world I feel cyberthreats and challenges will only increase, and customers will need to be proactive in this area.
There are other factors that will influence customers and the channel in 2025. For instance, the UK economy is fundamentally always fairly strong and resilient, but there is a dip in market confidence and no real terms growth economically now, based on the statistics. I believe this will mean customers will have to do more with less in terms of budget, which will lead to customers really defining the key areas of investment around technology that are strategic and add the value the business drivers require. This will couple with the other end of the spectrum, where customers will sweat assets longer than in times gone by for budgetary and ESG reasons.
That said, I am positive about the coming 12 months. As I said, the UK economy is always fairly strong, but the landscape will be competitive, and you will need to add a lot of value to customers’ adoption of technology and business drivers in order to really grow. 2024 was competitive and tough as 2025 will be, but I don’t believe it is anything like doom and gloom. I believe you need to be innovative, creative and listen to your customers’ needs, and by doing so, you can be rewarded throughout 2025!
Greg Jones, senior vice president of MSP enablement (EMEA)
In 2025, Automation-as-a-Service will be a big growth area for MSPs, allowing them to deliver affordable and scalable automation solutions directly to SME clients without the need for a huge infrastructure overhaul. By helping clients automate repetitive and administrative tasks, MSPs will empower SMEs to optimise their operations and boost growth and profitability. This, once again, raises the MSP’s role from a partner that traditionally provides reactive IT support to a strategic partner for proactive business enablement.
Another huge opportunity for the channel is Compliance-as-a-Service; it’s becoming a critical area for MSPs to invest in. Demand was bigger than expected in 2024 and this will continue into 2025. In an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, SMEs struggle to keep up with constantly changing requirements and they will need expert help with becoming and staying compliant. MSPs are uniquely positioned to offer this support as a high-value service, further strengthening their role as trusted advisors.
We are also seeing a massive shift from one-time sales to recurring revenue models. From offering monthly food or toiletry deliveries to quarterly hair appointments, many SMEs will be looking to adopt a subscription-based approach in 2025, as it helps with customer retention and a more predictable cash flow. MSPs can support their clients – and unlock new opportunities – by developing platforms for billing, customer engagement and data analytics that allow a smooth transition to a subscription model.
In addition, hyper-localisation – tailoring services for specific regions or even neighbourhoods – is a trend that allows smaller businesses to compete with larger players by creating a bigger local relevance and deeper customer connections. Again, this will become a growth area for MSPs as they can help clients leverage hyperlocal data to adjust their products, services and marketing strategies accordingly. Many MSPs already operate in clearly defined markets and are well positioned to understand their clients’ needs as well as those of their clients’ customers.
John McKindland, head of partner channel UK, Sona Business
Last year was a momentous period for Sona Business as we officially entered the UK market from a base in Hull and I started as head of partner channel UK, to spearhead operations over here.
In terms of trends, I expect vendor and reseller consolidation will continue in 2025. The contact centre market rallied last year with greater choice available from vendors and we will see a continuation in the deployment of cloud contact centres with omnichannel capabilities. Channel partners are looking for vendors such as Sona to provide a single proposition of a secure hosted contact centre with high-speed reliable connectivity.
Elsewhere, the PSTN countdown continues to move ever closer. In addition, there has been a lot of consolidation in the channel over the past year as the number of top tier communication providers continues to diminish. But we have also seen the next batch of resellers striving for growth, brand building and looking for more white label solutions to bolt into their portfolios. Creating a distinct identity and values will see these businesses grow backed by dedicated channel-only vendors such as Sona.
This year will be even bigger and better for us as we host an official launch event at the end of January to formally announce our arrival and engage directly with new partners, as part of a phased nationwide introduction to the UK market. We are also launching a partner program as part of a host of ways resellers can accelerate their revenue streams through Sona Business over the next 12 months.
Fredrik Hörnkvist, co-founder, Boom Collaboration
2024 was a standout year for Boom, marked by global expansion and groundbreaking product innovations. One highlight was the launch of our ‘meeting room in a box’ kits, designed to streamline equipment selection, enhance user experiences and eliminate installation challenges.
I expect the trends in the channel in 2024 to continue into 2025. For instance, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend is set to accelerate even further. Additionally, we anticipate a significant shift in focus toward the audio side of meeting room equipment. While high-quality video has become a standard expectation, audio often receives less attention – but it’s just as critical. Clear communication is the backbone of effective meetings, and, without it, even the best visuals fall short. We expect to see growing demand for intelligent, wireless and portable audio solutions as businesses prioritise fully optimised meeting experiences this year.
Also, AI in many ways is still at an early stage but its impact is gaining traction and will continue to grow. Some video conferencing elements have been around for a while such as echo cancellation in mics and speakers, together with ambient noise reduction. Hardware does already have smart embedded features but new developments such as gesture control for zooming and tracking for example will become part of a natural evolution. Whiteboard detection as well as more facial recognition technology is coming soon.
For us, 2025 will continue to be about simplifying and enhancing meetings. Our focus is on elevating the user experience to deliver the highest-quality remote meetings that feel as natural as possible. Technologies like AI, combined with innovations such as our one-cable connection ZYGO hub, will help us push the boundaries even further.
The BYOD meeting experience will continue to grow at the expense of dedicated in-room systems because people realise they need simple and flexible solutions across so many different room environments. There’s lots more volume and demand for this including in the SMB, education and healthcare sectors, while hybrid work will remain popular for many organisations.
Zoe Westwood, UK&I interim managing director, HP
In 2025, businesses will continue to build resilience and adaptability in supply chain strategies, shifting from cost efficiency to risk management in response to economic and geopolitical uncertainties. Businesses will prioritise agility, robustness and security to navigate evolving market conditions. In 2025 I suspect the demands from channel will have a stronger focus on localised production and reducing global supply chain dependencies.
Sustainability will remain a core focus across the wider tech industry, as organisations adopt eco-friendly practices and technologies to meet rising customer expectations and regulatory requirements.
In addition, automation and AI-driven solutions are poised to play an increasingly prominent role in helping businesses improve efficiency and grow creativity. For example, while the print industry is exploring innovations for fully automated production, other sectors are investing in AI-enhanced workflows, predictive analytics, and process optimisation to drive productivity and future-readiness.
This blend of sustainability, automation and resilience reflects an industry that is adapting rapidly to support its customers in overcoming challenges and taking on new opportunities in the year ahead.
In 2025, several key factors will shape customer priorities and channel dynamics. Sustainability will remain at the forefront, with businesses and consumers expecting solutions that align with their environmental commitments. This includes energy-efficient devices, recyclable materials and lifecycle management services.
Hybrid and remote working will also continue to influence demand. Customers will seek solutions that support collaboration and productivity from anywhere. Compact, cloud-enabled devices with robust security features will be highly sought after, along with subscription models that offer simplicity, scalability and predictable costs.
Personalisation will be another important factor. Businesses want technology tailored to their specific needs. Channel partners that can offer customised solutions and value-added services, like remote monitoring or predictive maintenance, will stand out in a competitive market.
Finally, automation and AI will play a transformative role, enabling smarter workflows and better user experiences. Customers will expect technology that not only performs but actively improves their efficiency.
The channel in 2025 will thrive by focusing on products and services that deliver intelligent innovation, meeting the evolving needs of customers in a rapidly changing market.
The channel will face several challenges in 2025, driven by evolving customer expectations, market dynamics and global trends. One significant challenge will be balancing the demand for sustainability with cost pressures. While customers are increasingly seeking eco-friendly products and services, the upfront investment in sustainable technologies and materials can be a barrier. To overcome this, channel partners should focus on educating customers about the long-term benefits of sustainability, such as cost savings from energy-efficient devices and potential compliance advantages as regulations tighten. Offering flexible financing options and subscription-based models can also ease the transition to greener solutions.
Another challenge lies in navigating supply chain disruptions, which remain a concern due to geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty. Localising production and embracing on-demand manufacturing can help mitigate these risks, as can fostering closer relationships with suppliers to improve forecasting and inventory management.
Skills gaps will also impact the channel, particularly as AI becomes more prevalent. Channel partners will need to invest in training and upskilling their teams to stay ahead of technological advancements. Collaborating with manufacturers to provide certifications and education programmes can ensure resellers are equipped to support customers with increasingly complex solutions. HP’s Amplify AI programme aims to support the vendor’s partners with AI knowledge, certification and tools to provide the resources to harness the AI enabled workforce.
Ralf Jordan, vice president channel EMEA, Lenovo
2024 was a good year for Lenovo and the channel in EMEA. In a challenging marketplace, we have seen strong growth in the channel across our portfolio and we have taken a share of our competitors. We continued to invest in our Lenovo 360 global channel framework, which enables partners to adapt to change with strength, agility and expertise.
Many of the defining trends in 2024 will continue into 2025 and beyond. AI will be the major driver for the workplace as well as infrastructure projects. Both hybrid and multi-cloud projects will continue to open opportunities for resellers, offering everything from platform to infrastructure and end user services. They are reshaping IT modernisation and disrupting traditional reseller roles.
As mentioned, AI will continue to grow in importance. Channel partners are already keen to ride the wave of AI, but turning ambition into fruition is what will really matter, especially as business leaders want to see return on AI investment.
IT vendors need to empower customers to deploy AI faster, safely and more efficiently. Key to this is providing access to a partner ecosystem, including AI independent software vendors, across various applications and services. Education is also an important consideration that can no longer be overlooked in 2025. Without the right skills, businesses will fail to capitalise on everything that AI has to offer.
Elsewhere, we are positive about the marketplace in EMEA as there are multiple factors, such as Win10 EOL, AI PCs and a post-COVID refresh, which are driving a strong PC Market and the acceleration of AI infrastructure projects.
In 2025, energy-efficient computers will play a critical role in reducing energy consumption, making them a key focus. Partnering with vendors that prioritise the full product lifecycle – from sustainable shipping practices to recycling initiatives – will become increasingly important. Energy-efficient hardware, extended software support, and repair-friendly designs with accessible instructions and simplified assembly will gain prominence, alongside take-back programmes for material recovery and reuse.
Lenovo’s success will continue to always be driven by the channel. With markets back in growth mode, it will be a great year for the Lenovo channel in EMEA. We are well positioned to take a greater market share in our PC, Infrastructure and Services portfolio, meaning that Lenovo will be a ‘safe bet’ for growth in 2025. We are also passionate to grow beyond the marketplace. To support that we will continue to invest into our channel and drive new initiatives to address ease-of-doing business and identifying new business opportunities.
Jamie Hughes, UK sales director, Evolve IP
2024 was a great year for Evolve IP. We saw demand accelerate across many vertical sectors, such as a 24% surge in retail, 21% growth in education, 13% growth in hospitality and 8% growth in financial/legal.
This year will be even bigger and better, as we continue to raise the bar in customer satisfaction and product development – to connect businesses and empower our partners.
Technical innovations such as AI are going to have an impact in 2025. For instance, AI is beginning to have a positive impact on virtual meetings. Webex, for example, now features powerful tools around transcription and content summaries. Even if the doorbell rings you can catch up during meetings. Equally, AI is beginning to penetrate call recording, which is useful for identifying issues in business operations, customer satisfaction and staff training. AI’s purpose is becoming more defined for business practices. The integration of AI in the contact centre space is driving significant impact too.
Elsewhere, customers are increasingly recognising that it’s the overall cost and ease of doing business, rather than just the cost of upfront licenses, for example, that truly matters. Evolve IP has invested in many new ways to facilitate partner growth. An enhanced partner programme and training portal alongside a special tech breakfast club, for example, will further help partners boost their knowledge and capture more business.
2025 will be all about making technology more intuitive, productive and seamless for users. I anticipate that many of the trends from 2024 will continue to gain momentum in 2025. Resellers, MSPs and service providers need to continue to raise their game in a challenging economic climate.
Stew Parkin, CTO, Assured Data Protection
2024 was a landmark year for Assured Data Protection, defined by growth, innovation and strategic expansion. We solidified our position as a trusted provider of managed data protection and disaster recovery solutions, with new customer wins across the UK, US and Europe.
By staying ahead of trends in hybrid and multi-cloud environments, we delivered exceptional value to our clients. Despite industry-wide challenges, our investments in people, technology and partnerships ensured we ended the year stronger than ever, ready to embrace the opportunities ahead.
I expect the trends in the channel in 2024 will continue into 2025. For instance, businesses will continue to prioritise cybersecurity, compliance and cost-efficient solutions. The shift towards as-a-service models, including Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service, is here to stay, and we see this as an exciting opportunity for Assured Data Protection to lead the charge. Channel partners are becoming indispensable as strategic advisors, and we’re proud to support them in delivering transformative solutions for customers.
AI is also set to be a game-changer in 2025, and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of leveraging its potential. From predictive analytics in disaster recovery to advanced threat detection and enhanced operational efficiency, AI will redefine how businesses approach data protection. It’s not just about keeping pace; it’s about pushing boundaries to deliver smarter, faster and more reliable services.
Elsewhere in the channel, the rise of cloud-native architectures, sustainability goals and evolving regulatory landscapes will drive demand for flexible, scalable solutions. Customers want partners who can deliver on innovation and resilience, and we’re perfectly positioned to meet these expectations with cutting-edge services and ESG-driven initiatives.
Looking forward, we’re incredibly optimistic about 2025. With strong momentum, an unwavering focus on innovation, and a deep commitment to our customers and partners, we’re confident in driving success across the channel. The future is bright, and we’re excited to lead the way.
