14 vendors have achieved Champion status in the December 2021 EMEA Channel Leadership Matrix: APC, Check Point, Cisco, ESET, Fujitsu, HPE, Juniper Networks, Kaspersky, Lenovo, NetApp, Nutanix, Sophos, Trend Micro and Veeam.

A vendor’s position in the Canalys Leadership Matrix is based on partner feedback to the Canalys Vendor Benchmark, combined with a detailed assessment of their recent channel activities and future prospects by Canalys analysts. Canalys assesses over 30 technology vendors annually for the Leadership Matrix report and received feedback from channel partners across the EMEA region. Reaching Champion status is an impressive achievement, reflecting not just the highest levels of excellence in channel management, but also a year-on-year improvement. Particular congratulations go to the nine vendors that managed to retain their Champion badge from 2020 – APC, Check Point, Cisco, HPE, Juniper Networks, Kaspersky, Lenovo, NetApp and Trend Micro.

Successfully operating a channel business across EMEA’s diverse mix of markets, currencies, languages and cultures requires highly skilled channel management. The challenges facing vendors have been amplified by the effects of the pandemic and unequal supply pressures across the region, affecting partner performance and cashflow. The IT industry has recovered strongly in 2021, but shortages in technical skills, which can be even more intense in smaller markets, along with supply, are constraining partner growth. EMEA Champions span a diverse set of technologies, business models and customers, but show some common traits. Channel dedication, account management and ease of business are among the highest rated metrics for these vendors. Most EMEA Champions have increased the share of business through indirect partners over the last 12 months, reflecting the importance of effective partnerships. Flexibility to adapt to regional variations and partner business models is key. Targeted investments in partner training and development are vital for joint success. 

Industry trends and changing customer requirements are driving profound shifts in go-to-market models and vendor/partner relationships. New consumption models and routes to market are gaining ground. Vendors must balance supporting existing partners with developing the right strategies for new partner models. Vendor success is based on a complex mix of support, training, collaboration, co-sell and demand creation, while providing the technology programs, tools and platforms to manage a broadening and diverse partner ecosystem. Champion status is not necessarily based on size: smaller, focused vendors can often outperform their larger, better-resourced peers as they demonstrate higher levels of strategic commitment to a partner-led business model.

The Vendor Benchmark is an online tool exclusively available to clients of Canalys’ Channels Analysis and Partner Program Analysis services. It assesses channel partners’ views of technology vendors, rating them across 12 areas of channel management. Scores are collected on an ongoing basis from channel partners via our Candefero community of 15,000+ members. We have recently introduced our new Vendor Benchmark Analyzer – a rich dashboard providing real-time analysis of a vendor’s ability to support its channel.