This week in the IT Channel...

Every Friday morning, IT Europa compiles a summary of the week's most significant news from the channel.

In this week's news...

Northamber bolsters UK and Europe market reach with Tempura buy

London-based VAD Northamber (Solutions) has enhanced its portfolio and market presence across the UK and Europe by acquiring Tempura Communications Ltd .

Established in 2002, Tempura delivers customised communication solutions to businesses of all sizes.

Alexander Phillips (pictured), Chairman of Northamber, said: “This acquisition aligns perfectly with our commitment to offering comprehensive technology solutions to our customers. 

“Tempura brings a wealth of expertise in unified communications and collaboration, which will complement our existing offerings and enhance the value we deliver to our customers."

Tempura MD Mathew Light added: “Together, we will be able to leverage Northamber's experience, resources and expertise to accelerate our growth and better serve the evolving needs of businesses."

Westcon-Comstor adds Palo Alto Networks on AWS Marketplace

Westcon-Comstor has become the first distributor outside the US to privately list Palo Alto Networks' cybersecurity offerings on AWS Marketplace. 

This expanded alliance, covering the EMEA and APAC regions, aims to streamline transaction times, increase deal sizes, and shorten sales cycles for partners.

David Grant (pictured), CEO at Westcon-Comstor, said: “This agreement exemplifies the innovation, agility and focus on partner success that characterises the relationship.

“We aim to help partners by giving them a simplified and streamlined way of transacting Palo Alto Networks’ cybersecurity solutions on AWS Marketplace."

Channel-Sec 2024 is the leading event for MSPs, MSSPs and IT providers to keep up to date with the latest threats, trends and opportunities to provide your customers with the best cyber protection, and to grow your security practice. Built around an agenda of expertly curated conference sessions, moderated break outs and some of the industry's best networking; Channel-Sec is the must attend event for MSPs and channel partners. Message Stephen Osborne for details of attending and sponsorship options.

Or visit Channel-Sec for further details.

Air IT sets up Scottish hub through SoConnect acquisition

MSP Air IT , backed by August Equity , has acquired Edinburgh-based SoConnect to establish its first regional hub in Scotland.

This move, marking the company's thirteenth acquisition since 2020, adds 500 companies to its client base and enhances its presence in the UK SME market.

Air IT CEO James Steventon said: "With a complementary skillset and extensive experience of Microsoft cloud and communication solutions, we will work together and building a strong presence in Scotland." 

SoConnect CEO Gordon Sayers added: "This acquisition expands our horizons and enriches our capabilities, opening up exciting opportunities for growth and innovation.” 

Mehul (Mickey) P. , Partner at August Equity, concluded: "By securing entrance into Scotland as well as adding further depth to existing capabilities, SoConnect is a great addition to support the continued growth of Air IT, adding significant value to the business." 

Scott Chasin takes CEO role at Pax8

Cloud company Pax8 has promoted Scott Chasin to CEO, succeeding founder John Street, who transitions to board chairman.

Chasin (pictured), former CTO since 2021, has a 30-year track record in technology leadership and entrepreneurship, founding and operating companies like USA.NET, MX Logic , and ProtectWise, Inc. (Acquired by Verizon) .

Street said: “I met Scott at the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey nearly three decades ago and have seen first-hand how he leads, dreams, and executes. 

“He has a strong vision and the potential to take Pax8 further as a product-led technology company.”

Insight boosts ServiceNow services footprint with key acquisition

Insight Enterprises Inc. has acquired Infocenter , a fast-growing pure-play ServiceNow Elite Partner, adding a full complement of ServiceNow consulting, implementation and managed services to its automation solutions portfolio.

Infocenter, the 2024 ServiceNow Americas Consulting and Implementation Partner of the Year, works with clients around the world to implement ServiceNow capabilities and pursue digital transformation goals.

“Workflow automation has become a necessity,” said Joyce Mullen , Insight president and CEO. “Our clients expect unified cross-enterprise experiences, and with Infocenter’s deep ServiceNow expertise, we will be better positioned than ever to deliver industry-leading intelligent workflow automation solutions, fuelled by AI, to create unified experiences and deliver valuable insights.”

Infocenter’s distinct approach to modernising business processes on the Now Platform will become part of Insight’s Solutions Integrator framework. Infocenter’s combination of packaged services and pre-built applications begins with a RADIUS business process analysis, to help plan and design custom ServiceNow solutions, while DEVSHOP enterprise managed services continuously improve innovation and efficiency in key business areas.

Bill McDermott , ServiceNow chairman and CEO, said: “Insight’s bold move on Infocenter is a significant milestone in our joint strategy to accelerate business transformation across the ecosystem. Together, we will harness the power of AI, workflow automation and cross-enterprise experiences to unlock unparalleled value for our mutual clients.”

“The ServiceNow ecosystem will be elevated with Insight and Infocenter joining forces,” added Erica Volini , SVP, global partnerships and channels at ServiceNow. “This is about empowering organisations to thrive in the digital age, harnessing the full potential of the ServiceNow platform to drive innovation and unlock unparalleled value for our clients.”

The value of the acquisition has not been disclosed by Insight.

Thank you for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe at the top of this newsletter to receive the latest updates directly to your inbox. We look forward to welcoming you back next Friday for more news.