Cybersecurity And Value-Added Services: Key Pillars For The IT Channel At XChange LATAM 2025

The XChange LATAM 2025 conference brought together vendors, distributors, and partners from across Latin America to rethink the role of the IT channel in meeting the growing demand for cybersecurity solutions.

XChange LATAM 2025 brought together vendors, distributors, and partners from across the region to rethink the role of the IT channel in meeting the growing demand for more comprehensive, proactive, and profitable cybersecurity solutions.

From May 19 to 21, the city of Bariloche, Argentina, hosted XChange for the first time in Latin America. This exclusive networking and business event, organized by The Channel Company and ITSitio Group, gathered top technology vendors and channel leaders from the continent to discuss the future of the B2B tech ecosystem. In this context, we spoke with key industry players about the main opportunities, challenges, and trends shaping the market.

With cybersecurity becoming increasingly critical for organizations of all sizes, the IT channel sees a clear opportunity: delivering value-added solutions. Karen Guarino, senior MSP channel account executive for the Americas at Sophos, emphasized the growing complexity of cyberattacks and the challenges partners face in safeguarding their clients. In response, Sophos launched Sophos Elevate, a program tailored to MSPs that aims to simplify cybersecurity service and product management—offering discounts, rebates, and access to specialized training.

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“We already have several partners enrolling, and it’s great because it offers the full MDR suite at a single price,” explained Guarino. “It includes over 75 integrations, network detection and response (NDR), and hardware discounts. It helps partners consolidate everything within Sophos, making it easier to manage their clients.”

This model aligns with findings from a 2024 Sophos report on MSP trends: “Centralized management reduces daily operational time by 48 percent,” she added. Partners who join the program will also gain access to exclusive “Ask the Experts” sessions with global Sophos leaders—giving them a chance to influence the company’s roadmap.

The Channel Perspective: Managed Services And Local Focus

From the channel side, Diego Di Bello, director at HO Tecnología, confirmed the sustained growth of the cybersecurity market. “There’s a lot of concern and growing interest. I think it’s going to scale up quickly. There’s a strong opportunity not just in licensing but in delivering managed security services,” he said. Di Bello also praised Sophos’ MDR service, which ensures 24/7 incident response—particularly valuable in the face of AI-driven threats.

“The local presence is key,” he added. “Clients want to see a face they know and trust when it comes to cybersecurity.” On the vendor relationship front, Di Bello highlighted the importance of support and proximity: “Vendors are more engaged—they visit more often, organize events that help us invite clients and showcase solutions.” However, he stressed the importance of focus: “We used to be more generalists. Now we need to specialize in the solutions where we can truly add value.”

Regional challenges remain, especially in smaller markets like Uruguay. “It’s a small market, deals take a long time to develop and are often modest in size. Sometimes, vendors bypass the channel, which can be frustrating,” he acknowledged.

Vendor Support For Channel Awareness And Maturity

Fabián Isa, director at Techwise, pointed out that “many companies have serious security gaps.” While financial institutions tend to be more mature, he noted, “there are many mid-sized and large companies where cybersecurity is still lacking.” For Isa, the main issue is awareness: “How much money does your company lose by shutting down operations for five days?”

He believes vendors play a crucial role in supporting partners through awareness campaigns and maturity assessments. “This should be vendor agnostic. Vendors should help—not just in their branded suit. Many clients are looking for OPEX-based solutions rather than CAPEX. Sophos is offering this, but others not as much.”

Regarding multi-vendor strategies, Isa was clear: “From a partner’s standpoint, it’s easier to work with fewer vendors. But from the client side, diversity is expected. Clients often want different layers of protection from different vendors to avoid single points of failure.”

Ultimately, XChange LATAM 2025 underscored the IT channel’s growing pursuit of specialization, scalable tools, and deeper collaboration with vendors. Consolidating services, focusing on high-value niches, and staying agile in the face of emerging threats will be critical for partners looking to seize the opportunities in this evolving ecosystem.

Desirée Jaimovich is editorial director of ITSitio.