Here’s Where 20 Channel Chiefs Want Partners To Invest In 2026
Channel executives on the CRN 2026 Channel Chiefs list were asked in what areas they would most like to see their channel partners invest this year. Here’s what 20 channel chiefs had to say.
Sound Investments
Rapid evolution and transformation are hallmarks of the IT industry. Today’s hot product is tomorrow’s legacy technology. And things once considered fringe—AI being the most recent example—can quickly become the main driver throughout the industry.
That means solution providers must constantly decide how and where to invest their resources around the products and services they offer, the markets they target, the IT vendors they work with, and the training and skill sets their employees need.
And a big part of the job of channel chiefs at leading IT vendors is to provide partners with guidance and resources to help them make those decisions and follow through on execution.
As part of the 2026 CRN Channel Chiefs project, we asked the more than 500 channel executives that made the list to tell us where they would like to see their channel partners invest in 2026, whether that be in new technologies, new go-to-market strategies, new services and practices, or new skills and training. Here’s what 20 had to say in their written responses to our questions, taken directly from the 2026 Channel Chief applications and lightly edited for clarity.
Philip Burger
VP, U.S. Channel
We would like to see channel partners invest in people. The economy and market conditions were difficult in 2025, there were a lot of headwinds in every region: tariffs, interest rates, layoffs, et cetera. We all expect a rebound in 2026, which should be followed by hiring more qualified talent back that will be needed to manage the expected growth.
Cyera
David Rogers
Head of Global Channels, Alliances
In 2026, partners must invest in two key areas:
-Deep technical services specialization—DDR and Omni DLP deployments, moving beyond reporting to active data security enforcement.
-Vertical market expertise—tailoring AI security and governance solutions to regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, finance, manufacturing).
This combination creates sticky, high-value service offerings and ensures partners lead in securing enterprise AI adoption.
Druva
Mike Houghton
SVP, Global Partners, Alliances
In 2026, we’d like to see partners invest in strengthening joint go-to-market execution through targeted customer campaigns and events that drive awareness and pipeline. Expanding technical enablement and specialization will be critical to differentiate solutions and accelerate adoption. Finally, continued investment in developing next-generation sellers—equipped with both business acumen and technical fluency—will ensure partners remain relevant and capable of leading customers through complex cloud and data protection decisions.
Fortinet
Landon Scott
VP, U.S. Channel Sales
In 2026, I’d like to see partners invest in scaling their SASE practices. As customers expand from SD-WAN to SASE—and increasingly move from standalone SSE solutions to unified, single-vendor SASE—partners have a major growth opportunity. They can deliver secure, high-performance connectivity for hybrid users while expanding managed and professional services. This creates differentiation, recurring revenue, and deeper customer relationships.
With Gartner predicting most SD-WAN purchases will be part of single-vendor SASE, now is the time for partners to lead this transformation and position Fortinet as the platform of choice for converged networking and security.
Huntress
Tracie Orisko
Sr. Director, Sales Development, Community
In 2026, channel partners should focus on transitioning their security practices to an AI-led model. This requires strategic investment in people, processes, and tools to leverage AI effectively while managing inherent risks. By adopting AI-driven capabilities, partners can deliver superior security outcomes for customers, enhance operational efficiency, and achieve AI-driven operational excellence across their security services.
HYCU
Chris Nelson
VP, Global Sales, GTM
First, the continued number of disruptions and outages is on the rise. So the focus on ensuring data is protected and available for recovery, especially key SaaS applications that are being used more and more, is paramount. Second, training and certifications to provide partner’s customers with more value in delivering key services. Third, MDF and joint investment with key events, webinars, and large industry events. There continue to be more opportunities than ever before to collaborate with key partners at events.
Infoblox
George Hope
VP, North America Partner Sales, Alliances
In 2026, I would like to see our channel partners invest in three key areas:
-New logo acquisition teams: Partnering with Infoblox to drive new customer growth and expand market presence.
-Security and cloud workshops: Leveraging our proven methodology, including assessment tools and penetration test services, to generate demand and deepen customer engagement.
-Security and cloud attach rates: Increasing attach rates within existing Infoblox DDI customers to enhance solution value and strengthen long-term customer relationships.
These investments will accelerate joint success and position partners for sustained growth in a dynamic market.
Infor
Salena Butler
SVP, Channel Chief
In 2026, I would like to see our channel partners get maniacally focused on selling into specific micro-verticals, where we can truly differentiate by delivering last-mile functionality that directly supports our customers’ business objectives. Another key area is harnessing the power of AI to automate customers’ business processes—helping them drive efficiency, reduce manual effort, and make more intelligent, data-driven decisions.
Ingram Micro
Darren Gottesmann
VP, Sales, Advanced Solutions, SMB
Marketing. Our partners are hard-working and also very humble, which often means they shy away from telling their stories and showcasing their successes. I’d like to encourage them to change that, to share their success stories with the market so that others can be inspired and see solutions to their own challenges.
I would also like to see them involve our vendor partners in events, which would bring the ecosystem together and promote more collaboration and learning from one another.
Lansweeper
Christina Klein
VP, Global MSPs
I think the greatest opportunity for services partners continues to be in building cybersecurity services—but, more specifically, I think developing proactively managed cyber services is key. Fewer than 30 percent of MSPs proactively manage the cyber posture of their end customers, yet cybersecurity services are the most sought after and profitable. It would be wise for more MSPs to develop new services to meet these demands.
Laserfiche
Taylor Grosso
Sr. Director, Global Channels, Alliance Sales
In 2026, we are encouraging our channel partners to invest in cloud deployment expertise, advanced technical training, and targeted marketing resources. Focusing on these areas will enable partners to better support customers’ digital transformations, deliver differentiated solutions, and strengthen their position in a competitive market.
Mailprotector
Amy Carr
VP, Marketing
In 2026, I’d love to see more MSP partners invest in customer education. The most successful partners we work with don’t just sell security—they teach it. They host lunch-and-learns, collaborate with local chambers of commerce, and run podcasts or webinars to educate their clients. Partners who go beyond basic security awareness training to deliver real, ongoing education are the ones who stand out. I’d like to see more of the channel adopt that proactive, community-driven approach.
Nerdio
Joseph Landes
Chief Revenue Officer
I would like partners to deepen their cloud operations and automation capabilities (infrastructure as code, DevOps, telemetry), develop vertical specialization (healthcare, financial services), and build AI/automation services on top of desktop/cloud platforms.
Pax8
Eric Torres
VP, Channel, Community Engagement
In 2026, I’d like to see MSPs invest in the intelligent evolution of their businesses. Embracing AI-driven automation and analytics will unlock smarter decision-making, predictive insights, and scalable service delivery. Security and compliance must remain foundational as AI introduces new risks that demand proactive governance. Strengthening operational maturity and data management will help partners move from reactive to anticipatory support. Finally, investing in customer education and innovation will empower clients to adapt confidently in an increasingly digital, data-centric world.
PTC
Kimberly King
Chief Partner Offier
First, technical enablement—especially certifications and solution packaging—so that partners can deliver higher-value services and accelerate customer adoption. Second, automation and ease of doing business are essential. PTC is investing in tools and infrastructure that streamline engagement, quoting, and delivery to better position and scale our partners.
Finally, joint GTM innovation with hyperscalers, GSIs and strategic alliances to unlock new revenue streams. We’re encouraging partners to co-develop solutions and participate in focused campaigns aligned to vertical and competitive takeout opportunities. These investments will strengthen partner performance and deepen alignment with our strategic priorities for FY26.
Rewst
Charlie Tomeo
Chief Revenue Officer
In 2026, we anticipate significant potential for our channel partners to increase their investment in automation as-a-service. Many MSPs already run strong internal workflows on Rewst: The next step is to productize them as managed offerings with SLAs, packaging proven use cases such as onboarding, offboarding, billing reconciliation and compliance.
By pairing RoboRewsty for faster delivery with our IMPACT framework to quantify ROI, partners can unlock new recurring revenue, improve margins through reduced manual work, and strengthen client retention. This strategic focus on outcome-based automation and service delivery positions partners for sustained growth and clear competitive advantage.
SAS
John Carey
VP, Global Channels
I would most like to see our channel partners invest in strengthening their sales and technical pre-sales capabilities, in addition to adopting an industry-first approach to address customer needs. This demonstrates a commitment to efficient ROI that delivers customer value. I want them to see that we are not opportunity constrained. These investments will help partners differentiate themselves in the market, maximize customer success and grow with SAS software solutions.
Snowflake
Amy Kodl
Head of GSI, Americas Alliances
Snowflake’s channel strategy for 2026 prioritizes quality of partnership over quantity to ensure we remain the #1 ecosystem for AI apps and expertise. We see three critical investment areas for our partners:
-Advanced certification and implementation excellence: Partners must continue to prioritize deepening their expertise through advanced certifications and the implementation best practices available via SPN Learn.
-GTM alignment: We want partners to focus on co-selling and joint-selling motions to ensure we present a unified front to our 11,500+ customers.
-Application building: Partners should invest heavily in building sophisticated, advanced applications on the Snowflake platform.
TD Synnex
Reyna Thompson
President, North America
We’d like to see channel partners invest in complementary technologies or services to their current offerings, to create more revenue opportunities for them with current and potential customers. We recognize that’s not an overnight task, and have enablement and training opportunities, as well as services support to augment that initial growth.
ThreatDown
Kendra Krause
General Manager
Managed services represent the gold standard in cybersecurity protection. The complexity and velocity of today’s threat landscape demand more than just traditional endpoint detection and response. To stay ahead, I’d like to see our channel partners invest in offering managed services. By doing so, we can then work alongside our partners to provide their customers with the visibility, speed, and expertise required to stay ahead of advanced threats.