Channel Chat

This week Marc Sumner sat down with Dan Smith, CEO of Astralis, to talk about his journey from sales leadership at Blancco to running Astralis, and the lessons he's carried along the way. They covered a lot of ground, including: • The importance of winning hearts and minds in leadership – not just giving orders. • Why sales directors should keep their toe in the game and stay relevant. • How Astralis was born out of an “exit → retirement → back to business” story. • The challenges (and opportunities) of working with channel partners in IT asset disposal (ITAD). • The real role of ESG and sustainability in customer decisions. • Where the market is heading: vendors, resellers, and lifecycle partners.

Recorded live at Samsung KX, London, Channel Chat Live brought together 250+ C-suite execs and senior leaders from across the UK IT Channel for an evening of unfiltered debate, insights and networking. In Part 2, host Marc Sumner and our all-star panel — Neil Hall, Aine Rogers, Lyndsey Charlton, and Alistair Wildman — take questions directly from the audience and dive even deeper into the issues shaping the Channel. Huge thanks again to our sponsors Arrow Cloud UK & Ireland, Check Point Software, and Cameo for powering the after party.

Recorded live at Samsung KX, London, Channel Chat Live brought together 250+ senior leaders, business owners and C-suite execs from across the UK IT Channel for an evening of debate, insights and networking. Host Marc Sumner was joined on stage by an all-star panel – Neil Hall, Aine Rogers, Lyndsey Charlton, and Alistair Wildman – tackling the big questions shaping the Channel. A huge thank you to our sponsors – Arrow Cloud UK & Ireland, Check Point Software, and Cameo for powering the after party. Don't miss Part 2 for more insights and audience Q&A.

Channel Chat Podcast | Gavin Bell, CEO of Econocom — From CC “Boomerang” to Building a UK Solutions Business Recorded in London (yes, during a tube strike!), Marc sits down with Gavin Bell to unpack: Why he “boomeranged” back to Computacenter and what cultural fit really means Overlay vs. solution sales — and why the label “overlay” winds him up Moving into his first CEO role at Econocom and integrating the Trams acquisition Differentiation: solutions + lifecycle services + in-house financing (not just “another reseller”) Pragmatic AI: better service & scale (bids, service desk) — not headcount cuts Ageism, reskilling at 50+, and why experience still matters 2025 outlook: services growth, UK brand building, and who to watch (Gavin's pick: NVIDIA)

Join Marc Sumner in the studio with Maz Lopez, Senior Channel Marketing Manager at AMD and one of our valued podcast partners. From hospital radio to the heart of tech marketing, Maz shares her journey and insights on: • How storytelling and partner collaboration bring AMD's products to life • The importance of relationship-building in a competitive tech landscape • Using AI to supercharge marketing — from crafting job specs to automating lead nurturing • Tracking ROI with data intelligence to prove marketing's impact on sales • The challenge and opportunity of account-based marketing across diverse regions

The Big Picture with David Weeks... “Why aren't you marketing your business that way?”   David Weeks didn't hold back at Empower 25 — and neither did he on Channel Chat.   In this upcoming episode, David talks: → Why cross-collaboration beats competition → The death of ‘just reselling' → And the announcement of Empower 2026 in Fort Lauderdale!

Welcome to Channel Chat LIVE 2025 – Part 2!  The conversation continues from Samsung KX with even more industry insight, big opinions, and future-focused thinking. In Part 2, we dive deeper into the evolving role of AI and Cyber in the Channel — from talent strategies to customer expectations, and what leaders need to prioritise right now to stay competitive.  Featuring more must-hear moments from our expert panel: Hayley Mooney, Paula Panarra, Des Lekerman and Chelsea Chamberlin. Hosted by Marc Sumner & Proudly sponsored by Infinigate UK & Ireland. Ready to find out what's next for the Channel? Hit play and join the debate. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more Channel Chat content!

Welcome to Channel Chat LIVE 2025 – Part 1! Broadcast live from Samsung KX, Channel Chat LIVE brought together the biggest names in the Channel for an evening of bold conversations around AI, Cyber, and the future of the industry. In Part 1, you'll hear from our incredible panel: Hayley Mooney, Paula Panarra, Des Lekerman and Chelsea Chamberlin. Expect real insights, lively debates, and fresh perspectives on how AI and Cyber are reshaping the Channel — and what businesses need to do to stay ahead. Hosted by Marc Sumner | Proudly sponsored by Infinigate UK & Ireland. Hit play and join the conversation — and don't forget to check out Part 2 for even more unmissable moments!

Today in the Channel Chat studio Marc Sumner is joined by Nick Crouch, Director - EMEA & APAC Channel & Alliances @ AppOmni

In this valentine's day special, Marc is joined in the studio by Kathryn Bennett the Channel Director from Dataminr.

Today Marc is joined in the studio by the Managing Director of Bytes Software Services, Jack Watson.

Today Marc Sumner is joined in the Channel Chat studio by the Channel Marketing Director at XM Cyber, Lucy Greenaway.

Today in the Channel Chat studio Marc meets up with the CEO of Transputec, Sonny Sehgal.

Today in the channel chat studio, Marc talks to Liza Weschta from Cybsafe. Channel Chat is sponsored by Infinigate; Sparking Channel Growth.

Marc is joined in the channel by the Solutions Sales Director, Rhys Lawson. Channel Chat is sponsored by Infinigate; Sparking Channel Growth.

In this week's episode, you can hear the full conversation from the second half of the recent Channel Chat LIVE event that took place at Samsung KX on the 5th September 2024. Our host, Marc Sumner, met up with: Adele Every, MD Publuc Sector from Cisco Miriam Murphy, President EMEA, TD Synnex Mike Norris, Group CEO from Computacenter Steve Rigby, Co-CEO from Rigby Group plc Channel Chat LIVE is sponsored by Cameo.

In this week's episode, you can hear the full conversation from the first half of the recent Channel Chat LIVE event that took place at Samsung KX on the 5th September 2024. Our host, Marc Sumner, met up with: Adele Every, MD Publuc Sector from Cisco Miriam Murphy, President EMEA, TD Synnex Mike Norris, Group CEO from Computacenter Steve Rigby, Co-CEO from Rigby Group plc Channel Chat LIVE is sponsored by Cameo.

Today in the Channel Chat studio, Marc Sumner is joined by two people. Martyn Ryder and Chris Germain of Support Warehouse. They talk about a range of topics, including the value of partnerships, how to work with the top 20 partners in the UK, and the importance of co-operation in the marketplace.

Today Marc is joined in the Channel Chat studio by the Managing Director of Architectures and Specialists Joachim Mason.

Today Marc is joined in the Channel Chat studio by Kyle Davies the Head of the Office of the CTO at CDW.

Today Marc is joined by the CEO of Object First, David Bennett.

Today Marc is joined in the Channel Chat studio by Gill Holloway from Insight. This is her second appearance on Channel Chat - having first been the fourth person to appear on the show back in 2019.

Today Marc is joined in the studio by the VP EMEA at Drata.

Today in the London studio Marc Sumner is joined by the COO at Agilitas IT Solutions, Sara Wilkes

Today Marc is joined in the Channel Chat studio by the CRO of the "AI Company of the Year 2023"; Smartbox.ai.

Today Marc is joined in the studio by the CEO of Cloud Gateway, Justin Day.

Today Marc is joined in the studio by the CEO of Logicalis - Bob Bailkoski

Today in the studio, Marc is joined by the Chief Commercial Officer from Sapphire Technologies, Charly Davis.  

In today's episode, Marc is joined in the studio by Elisha Kirkham the Recruitment Manager at the UK's largest VAR, Softcat.

Today Marc speaks with Vanessa Vallely who leads the organisation WeAreTheCity who have over 80,000 female members. Vanessa's experience comes from a 25-year corporate career.  She is a global speaker who is a champion for initiatives aimed at achieving gender parity and raising the profile of women in the workplace.

The first guest in the new channel chat studio for series 11 of the Channel Chat podcast is Ian Goodfellow, the VP Sales, EMEA at SHI International.