ANS Group revamps partner programme to fuel vertical growth and double indirect revenue

Head of indirect Ryan Martin gives CRN the lowdown on what drove the revamp, most notable changes, and plans for the rest of the year

ANS Group recently unveiled a significant overhaul of its partner programme, designed to deepen collaboration across four core verticals and better enable partners to navigate rapid market change.

The revamp, according to Ryan Martin, head of indirect at ANS, marks a shift from foundational building to strategic enablement — with the goal of doubling indirect revenues by the end of 2025.

After two years of developing its indirect channel, ANS has moved beyond basic structures and into verticalisation, Martin tells CRN.

“The first year was clearly about building the foundations, making sure we had the right frameworks and set up in place to deliver the programme.

“On the back of working with loads of different partners last year, we reached a point where we’ve got a community of partners, and it’s about understanding what each of them do, which verticals they operate in, and creating programmes tailored to that.”

The programme now caters to four distinct partner types: MSPs, IT consultancies, telcos/IT resellers, and SaaS providers, each with their own engagement model and tailored enablement tracks.

Enabling, not just engaging

A key theme of the revamped programme is partner enablement, which Martin describes as more than just sales alignment.

“We’ve invested heavily in non-sales resources – things like white-label toolkits, campaigns-in-a-box, and access to our Ofsted-rated Academy,” he explains.

“Whether a partner wants to resell Azure Virtual Desktop or upskill their team, we’re giving them the tools and confidence to do it.”

New additions also include a partner hub housing all assets, and enhanced training offerings for partners’ pre-sales teams. One standout feature is ANS’s Academy-as-a-Service, which allows partners to enrol talent into the group’s apprenticeship programmes to address skills gaps.

Tailored models for a shifting market

The revamp wasn’t made in isolation, as Martin explains many changes were a direct response to partner feedback and evolving needs.

“At first, we were just reacting to opportunities,” he says. “Now partners are asking how we can help them more. They see us as an extension of their team — helping them grow where they don’t have the scale or capability.”

To meet these demands, ANS now offers three core partner models:

The Referral tier is mainly for advisory IT consultancies, this model connects partners’ clients with ANS services without requiring reselling.

The Reseller track is designed for peer MSPs who want to expand into new areas (e.g., Dynamics 365) without risking client relationships.

Finally, there’s a Hybrid tier, geared towards traditional telcos transitioning into digital and cloud services. It allows flexibility between resell and referral models based on opportunity complexity.

Another cornerstone of the new strategy is ANS’s Partner Marketplace, which is being revitalised to foster partner-to-partner collaboration.

“The biggest thing for me is creating a community of partners,” says Martin.

“It’s exciting when our partners work with each other. We’ve got boutique specialists in software, for example, and seeing them collaborate inside the ecosystem is a big win.”

A series of events and initiatives will be launched to bring this community element to life in Q4.

Eyes on AI and doubling indirect revenues

Now the relaunch is complete, Martin states ANS’s top priorities include becoming a leader in AI readiness and doubling indirect revenue.

“We want to be the go-to provider in the AI space,” he says. “AI and Copilot are embedded in everything we do now, and our message is clear: be ready.”

As for growth targets, the strategy for doubling indirect revenue revolves around vertical alignment, programme differentiation, and tapping into the reseller and consultancy markets more effectively.

Challenges and the partner mindset shift

Martin notes the biggest challenge for the channel right now is keeping pace with technology, particularly in fast-moving areas like AI and cybersecurity.

“A lot of partners want to build their own SOC, but when they see the true cost, it’s daunting,” he says “That’s where the decision becomes: do you build, buy, or partner?”

It’s a mindset Martin believes will define successful partnerships over the next 12 months — and one that ANS is building its ecosystem around.