Happy New Year!

We hope you all have a great year ahead

Well here we are at the start of another year. They certainly seem to come around quickly these days.

It has been a pretty eventful year with one of the biggest VAR acquisitions we have seen (Kelway/CDW), and another significant IPO (Softcat), plus vendors that have split in two, left, right and centre.

From what I've heard it hasn't been a terrible year for many, but everyone agrees they are having to work harder and longer just to stand still. Customers are wiser, and want more for their money.

That is something we at CRN can agree with.

In 2016 the signs are pointing to the fact that cloud computing, big data, the IOT and security are all going to be hot topics, but of course none of us know who will become the real giants in those areas in the future - we can only look at the giants of today. But things will change eventually.

Skills are also going to be a major concern this year - how do you keep hold of talent and attract new talent to your business? Particularly as those with all the years of experience are beginning to think outside the IT industry and to a quieter life.

And of course consolidation will continue. I wonder who will be the first of 2016?

We hope you have enjoyed the 2015 journey with CRN and look forward to sharing all that 2016 has in store.

Thanks for all your support over the last 12 months, and please keep in touch to let us know what is going on - we like positive news as well as the negative - so do share your news with us.

As ever, we will have our two awards evenings later on in the year and I will take this opportunity to urge you all to enter - if you don't shout about your successes, nobody else will.

So all that remains to say is Happy New Year and here's to a prosperous and fruitful 12 months ahead.