The director of the recently unveiled Google Apps channel programme will use research firm Canalys' Channels Forum event to discuss the search engine giant's indirect strategy.

Canalys is holding the event, which will be attended by more than 200 representatives from vendors, distributors, resellers and the media, in Barcelona next month. Stephen Cho, director of Google Apps channels, will deliver a keynote address discussing the intricacies of the cloud computing-based programme.

Cho will speak during the plenary session on 5 February and resellers will then have the chance to meet Google channel executives to discuss the programme. Cho said: "More than a million businesses are using Google Apps already and we have received great feedback on this new reseller effort. Now is the time to formalise our go-to-market programme and we are looking for resellers across EMEA to expand our ability to serve more customers successfully."

Punj Rajah, a consultant for Canalys, will be speaking at the Forum about the opportunities for the channel around cloud computing. He claimed attracting Google to the event was a real coup and predicted the Apps programme would be a success.

“In this depressed economic environment we have seen the partner community look for new revenue streams and fresh customer dialogue opportunities," he said. "When deployed smartly, cloud computing can lower operating costs, reduce energy consumption, improve collaboration and speed up application development time."

Canalys chief executive Steve Brazier added: "The Canalys Channels Forum is offering keynotes and private meetings with some of the most important and innovative vendors in the industry. It is in these difficult times that the best managers have the inspirational ideas that can set their companies on a forward path for the years ahead. Our agenda setting forum will inform, stimulate and reinvigorate the partner community.”

For more information or to book a place visit www.canalyschannelsforum.com