Extraordinary interest evident in Channels Forums

Canalys today announced that demand for this year’s EMEA and APAC Channels Forums continues to exceed expectations. More than 50 sponsors have been announced so far, with the addition of more marquee vendor names expected in the coming days.

The coming together of so many senior executives from channel partners, distributors, vendors and the press in a convenient location presents an overwhelming value proposition. The thousands of meetings they will arrange at each event are enabled by a world-class web app, with each attendee receiving live updates about their next engagement, integrated into their dynamic personal agenda.

Rita Chaher, Canalys Event Director, commented, ‘The economic environment is challenging and almost everyone in the technology industry faces budget constraints. Expenditure is only being released when the return on investment is clear. The forums enable top executives to conduct six months’ worth of partner meetings in one location across three days, delivering unmatched efficiency and cost savings. The fact that the EMEA event has more sponsors than ever before, despite the market turmoil, and delegates from more than 30 countries across the region, is testament to this.’

The inaugural APAC forum is shaping up to be equally impressive and is expected to match the EMEA forum in delegate numbers. Gemma Edwards, Canalys Event Manager APAC, added, ‘The sponsors are delighted that our audience is truly pan-Asian. The key markets of China and India are generating the highest numbers of delegates. We will meet our goal of delivering the largest, most influential, channel partner conference Asia has ever seen.’ Canalys’ decision to open an office in Shanghai last year has clearly contributed to the 200-plus attendees expected from China.

The Canalys Channels Forum succeeds because, unlike other events where vendors mainly brief their competitors, the majority of the audience is from the channel. Every partner attendee is independently verified to ensure they meet strict criteria regarding seniority and their company’s accreditation level. No other gatherings in APAC or EMEA have this kind of influence.

Industry hot topics will be addressed through sponsor keynotes and theater sessions, presentations from Canalys analysts and intimate best practice sessions. With the theme of ‘smarter mobile enterprise’ attendees will come away with a much better understanding of how mobility, wireless, business analytics and cloud can deliver future profits for the channel. The proximity of Microsoft’s Windows 8 launch has also led Canalys and the sponsors to run dedicated sessions evaluating how big an opportunity the new OS represents.

This year the forums will also recognize channel partners who have demonstrated superior performance in specific areas through the announcement of the Candefero Channel Partner of the Year award winners.

About the Canalys Channels Forum 2012 events

The Canalys Channels Forum EMEA runs from 8 to 10 October 2012, in Barcelona. The APAC event runs from 30 October to 1 November 2012, in Singapore. The forums, in their fifth year in EMEA and running for the first time in APAC, are the only independent events that unite senior managers from leading technology vendors, distributors and channel partners to discuss industry trends, forge new business relationships and create sales opportunities. In addition to vendor keynotes and theater presentations, the events will feature more than 2,000 senior one-to-one meetings and prestigious gala dinners, among other networking activities. The events are open to senior business managers, both from IT vendors and channel partners. Journalists should contact press@canalys.com to learn how to obtain a press pass. More information about the events can be found at www.canalyschannelsforum.com.

About Canalys

Canalys delivers smart market insights to IT, channel and service provider professionals around the world. Our customer-driven analysis and consulting services empower businesses to make informed decisions and generate sales. We stake our reputation on the quality of our data, our innovative use of technology and our high level of customer service.