Content, 5 things

5 Channel Partner and MSP News Updates: Thursday 07 January 2021

Credit: Getty Images

Here are five (actually, more) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Thursday, January 7, 2021. Sip up.

What’s In Our Daily Brew?

  • Who We Serve: Content for managed services providers (MSPs), IT service providers (ITSPs), technology solutions providers (TSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), IT consulting firms, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), and any other partner acronym that further caffeinates our already stellar SEO.
  • Frequency: Every business morning.
  • Reaching the Barista: Send news, tips and rumors to [email protected].

A. What’s Brewing Today: Technology News

1. M&A - Potential IT Consulting & MSSP Buyouts: Atos is seeking to acquire IT consulting rival DXC Technology for more than $10 billion, a report says. A separate report says Atos may acquire MSSP Secureworks from Dell Technologies.

2. Talent - Cloud Marketplace: Pax8 has promoted seven team members to senior VP positions. The promotions surface the same week that Pax8 disclosed $96 million in funding and acquired Wirehive for European growth and Azure cloud partner expertise. The promotions involve:

  • Jennifer Bodell, Senior Vice President of Global Channel
  • Aaron Garza, Senior Vice President of Business Development
  • Don Jeter, Senior Vice President of Marketing
  • Jefferson Keith, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development
  • Lynn Leadley, Senior Vice President of Pax8 University
  • Amanda Lee, Senior Vice President of Global Communications
  • Jared Pangretic, Senior Vice President of Sales

3. Talent - IT Service Provider: ISG Technology has hired Brent McCollum as director of managed services, and Jeffrey Myers as support center manager. Both hires are part of ISG Technology's plan to better serve mid-market companies, the business says.

4. IBM Sales Team Reorganization: IBM is restructuring its sales organization and streamlining how it classifies customers, The Wall Street Journal reports. The new sales structure—which cuts the number of customer groups to two from 50—is designed to make it easier to do business with the company, Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president for global markets, told the publication's CIO Journal.

5. IBM Spin-Out Leader: IBM has named Martin Schroeter as CEO of NewCo -- the forthcoming spin-out of IBM's Managed Infrastructure Services business. The previously announced separation is expected to occur by the end of 2021, IBM says.

6. Funding - Analytics: Starburst has raied $100 million in Series C funding at a $1.2 billion valuation. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Salesforce Ventures, as well as existing investors Coatue and Index Ventures.

7. Partnership - Oracle Cloud: UJET's Cloud Contact Center software now integrates with the Oracle Cloud CX Service and is available in the Oracle Cloud Marketplace.

8. Partnership: Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. has inked a distribution agreement with Loadbalancer.org. The partnership will "enhance customer experience by better distributing application, network and data traffic efficiently and securely, particularly in sectors where zero downtime is critical," the companies assert.

B. Channel Partner Summits, MSP Conferences and Virtual Events Calendar

Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.