The Canalys Forums have built a reputation for delivering independent, thought-provoking and pertinent content to all attendees, helping to influence business decisions and reshape priorities. This year, we aim to do even more in terms of delivering a fast-paced and unique format across all the regions. Here we take a look at trends driving our APAC analyst team’s preparation for the Canalys Forums APAC, to be held in Bangkok from 5-7 December 2023.

Our recent global channel survey has revealed some encouraging numbers. A strong 39% of APAC respondents are expecting robust revenue growth of over 10% in 2023. More than 60% of APAC channel partners predict a growth in profits, with 20% expecting this growth to be substantial. Some of the optimism felt by partners is shared by Canalys.

Regarding growth opportunities, APAC partners expect managed services, cybersecurity services, XaaS (including SaaS/IaaS/Das) and cloud solutions (hybrid, migration) as the most significant drivers for growth this year. Recent Canalys data backs up the positive outlook for these areas, for example:

• Canalys predicts the APAC cybersecurity market will increase by 12% in 2023 to exceed US$11 billion. Developing markets in Southeast Asia such as Greater China and India are driving growth. Meanwhile, established markets are expected to hit decent growth too of between 7% and 11%.
• Cloud infrastructure revenue is forecasted by Canalys to reach US$304 billion in 2023, a 23% growth compared to 2022, with double-digit growth across the APAC countries.
• With over 70% of APAC partners in the survey prioritizing a shift toward professional and managed services in 2023, more are collaborating closely in customer projects to deliver business outcomes, enabled by a digital-led approach.

As part of our prep, we are excited that registrations are already outpacing previous years. We are still six months away, and so far have key leading APAC channel-focused tech vendors in attendance. Their presence at the conference signifies an unparalleled opportunity for all participants to gain first-hand insights, discuss collaboration opportunities and help educate each other on the best ways to build their business.

Confirmed APAC vendors as of 7 June 2023: Dell Technologies, Lenovo, APC Schneider Electric, Trend Micro, HPE, HP Inc., SonicWall, Check Point, Cradlepoint, eSentire, IBM, Kaseya, Logic Monitor, Trellix, Nerdio, StarTech.com

We are also absolutely thrilled to confirm that major regional distributors will be joining us once again this year at Canalys Forums 2023. Their commitment demonstrates the value and impact of our annual gathering on the APAC tech channels landscape. This is yet another reason why Canalys Forums 2023 is an event not to be missed.

Confirmed APAC distributors as of 7 June 2023: Bluechip Infotech, Compuage Infocom, Crayon, Dicker Data, Exclusive Networks, GNC, Leader Systems, MEC Philippines, Networld, NETPOLEON, NEXTGEN, Pax8, Redington, Soft Solutions, SYNNEX, Tech Data a TD Synnex Company, VSTECS, Westcon-Comstor

But do not just hear it from us – hear it from the partners themselves as to why the APAC Canalys Forums in Bangkok, December 2023 is the place to be if you are a leader in the channel!

Ron Jarvis, Sales Director, Bluechip Infotech

"We see the Canalys event as a hub of knowledge and innovation, where industry leaders come together to discuss the latest trends. For a business like Bluechip and our channel partners, attending such an event is not just about gaining insights. It’s about building relationships and creating opportunities for growth. As a specialist distributor in ANZ, we see the potential to be exposed to the APAC region and its leaders."

Tammy Vorster-Jones, VP Marketing – APAC, Crayon

“With our shared passion for the channel and collective commitment to driving the industry forward with the latest insights and strategy, we are delighted to sponsor Canalys Forum 2023 in APAC. This event holds tremendous significance in shaping the future of the channel, and we look forward to collaborating with Canalys and other industry leaders to influence the future direction of the channel community.”

Vlad Mitnovetski, COO, Dicker Data  

“Canalys is an important annual event for the APAC channel community. It provides us with an opportunity to learn about the trends impacting our industry, to hear where the Canalys analysts believe our industry is headed and to connect with our peers. Canalys also provides us with access to key executives from the world’s leading vendors and provides a platform for our valued reseller partners to uncover the next big opportunities for their business.” 

Brad Gray, SVP APAC, Exclusive Networks

“We are delighted once again to be participating in this unique and highly important channel event. There is no better opportunity in APAC for the channel ecosystem to come together to discuss and share solutions and opportunities that are posed by today’s business environment.”

Theo Kristoris, Managing Director, Leader Systems

“Canalys is an amazing opportunity for Australian IT resellers/MSP’s to gain industry knowledge, future trends and build key relationships with major vendors in IT industry. We are very proud to be a sponsor."

Wendy O'Keeffe, Head of Asia Markets, NEXTGEN

“Absolutely one of the best channel events held each year, with great content and an awesome lineup of speakers all supported with data insights. I have personally attended all Canalys Forums in Asia ever since it started and NEXTGEN group continues to be a proud contributor to this forum. We look forward to making new “waves” in Bangkok this year.”

Ramesh Natarajan, CEO, Redington Limited

"Redington is excited to have been a partner with Canalys for the premier event - Canalys Forums. Engagement and collaboration within the Technology Ecosystem are key to Redington's mission of reducing Technology Friction™, and Canalys Forums provides the ideal platform to foster this. We cherish the interactions and the learnings from the pool of eminent participants, including several technology stalwarts, vendors and partners. The sessions were aimed at educating, incubating ideas and fostering collaboration in areas of technology that deeply resonate with us as well as our partners. Canalys' predictions, observations and outlook have been a key guidance for the partner fraternity to plan and address challenges and opportunities. Here's wishing the very best to Canalys, and looking forward to continued engagement in the upcoming editions of Canalys Forums."

Jason Gass, Sales Manager, Soft Solutions

“Canalys is an incredible intersection of insights, channels and community across the region. As a distributor, it has been a hugely invaluable opportunity for us, to not just host our convoy of New Zealand partners but also to bring back a wealth of knowledge to share, helping shape the future direction of the channel community.”

George Keatinge, Senior Director of Strategy and Go-To-Market, Tech Data Asia Pacific and Japan

“The Canalys Forums APAC is an established regional platform that connects IT ecosystem stakeholders across the Asia Pacific and Japan. Last year’s return to in-person interactions and networking in Singapore, including the analysis, insights, discussions and sharing of best practices at the main stage and panel sessions was a great way to feel the pulse of our industry across its value chain. We are excited to see the Canalys community grow globally and look forward to this year’s edition in Bangkok.”

William Ong, Group CEO ASEAN, Group Senior Executive VP, VSTECS

”Canalys Forums is one of the biggest and most anticipated channel events in the industry. I am proud to say that VSTECS continues to support Canalys in gathering the key players in the industry to influence business decisions and reshape priorities.”  

Patrick Aronson, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of APAC, Westcon-Comstor

“Westcon-Comstor is excited to return to the highly anticipated Canalys Forum, which is undergoing a transformation to emphasize areas that are of utmost importance to us. Specifically, the Forum is increasingly dedicated to networking, cybersecurity and cloud solutions — areas that align perfectly with our core focus. This year, Bangkok will provide a great backdrop for Westcon and our most strategic partners from across the region to collectively explore our fast-evolving landscape while fostering discussions on the most vital channel issues of the day. We look forward to leveraging the platform to strengthen our expertise, forge new relationships and celebrate the success of our treasured partnerships with our entire ecosystem: channel partners, strategic vendors and Canalys analysts.”

If you are a channel partner, we encourage you to register for Canalys Forums 2023. These events will provide you with an opportunity to interact with other channel partners and expand on business ideas.

 EMEA: 3 – 5 October | NORTH AMERICA: 13 – 15 November | APAC: 5 – 7 December