‘We want to double in size’: Distology CEO on plans following Foresight investment

Hayley Roberts talks European ambitions, acquisition targets and "aggressive" expansion strategy

Distology is aiming to double in size as it prepares to embark on an aggressive European M&A push following its acquisition by Foresight Group.

Speaking to CRN, founder and CEO Hayley Roberts says the cybersecurity VAD is ready to accelerate its expansion after five years of backing from former investor NorthEdge.

“We are very aggressive,” she says.

“We want to double the size of where we’re at today.”

The Stockport-based distie currently generates around £80m in turnover, with Roberts saying it has “views on £100m this year” after doubling its headcount during NorthEdge’s ownership.

Foresight’s takeover will now give Distology the backing to pursue a more aggressive buy-and-build strategy as it looks to establish itself as a pan-European player.

“We really want to be more aggressive across Europe. We want to be known as a European true value-added distributor, and the only way to do that quickly and effectively is through acquisition,” Roberts tells CRN.

NorthEdge first invested in Distology in 2021, with the VAD subsequently expanding its European presence and buying out services business Squareball in 2022.

Over the two years to FY26, the company delivered a 48 per cent EBITDA CAGR, while broadening its vendor portfolio and consolidating its technical capabilities.

Roberts says the Foresight deal effectively “resets the clock”, allowing Distology to move from what she describes as a smaller buy-and-build strategy towards a significantly more ambitious phase.

Distology's European ambitions

Germany will be at the top of Distology’s acquisition wish list as it begins hunting for targets.

The distributor already operates an entity in the country, but Roberts wants to establish a much larger on-the-ground presence spanning sales and marketing.

“Germany is a huge acquisition target for us from an M&A point of view,” she says.

“It’s a massive market, of course, but we already do some work in Germany through our entity there.

“We want a proper foothold and to be as we are in the UK there.”

From there, Roberts says Distology could potentially expand into the Nordics or Eastern Europe, although no decisions have yet been made.

The company’s existing Netherlands operation will meanwhile continue to cover the Benelux region.

Roberts established the office in 2018 and says its development has taught Distology lessons about the difficulties of expanding organically into new markets.

“It’s been difficult, but at the same time really important for those lessons,” she says.

The CEO insists scale alone will not dictate where the distributor expands.

“What we don’t want to lose just because of scale is that cultural point and that value point,” she says.

“We want to make sure the value is consistent, not just volume just to say we’re there.”

Distology's M&A roadmap

While Distology is already aware of potential acquisition targets, Roberts says the company has not yet entered substantive discussions but adds that she would like the firm to complete its first buyout under Foresight within the first year of the investment.

“We’re aware of businesses, but we’re not even close to having proper conversations yet,” explains the CEO.

“I’d love to say in the first year with Foresight it would be great to do the acquisition.

“Time is going to be important, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s going to be tough, but we want to do it as soon as possible.”

Roberts says the urgency is partly being driven by existing vendors asking the disitie to represent them across additional European markets.

When assessing potential targets, Distology will look for businesses with an established customer base and strong reputation, but Roberts tells CRN that people and cultural fit will ultimately be central to any deal.

“Everything I do is all about people and that cultural piece,” she says.

“Real business growth and passion about what you do is going to be front and centre of choosing what business is going to work for us.”

New markets, new leadership?

European M&A could also result in additions to Distology’s leadership structure.

The distributor currently has a senior leadership team covering the UK and Europe, including its CCO, CTO and CFO, which Roberts does not currently expect to change.

The expansion could now create positions overseeing individual regions.

“There might be directors of regions,” explains Roberts.

“It very much depends on the talent and skill set that’s there and whoever wants to stay or go from an acquisition point of view.”

No 'dramatic changes' for existing vendors and partners

The investment will also give the company greater capacity to invest alongside its existing vendors.

Roberts does not expect partners and vendors to see dramatic immediate changes but believes the backing will allow the distributor to take greater risks and develop longer-term European go-to-market plans.

For vendors, that means planning how the organisation can support their go-to-market strategies across multiple European countries rather than approaching expansion market by market.

The company also remains open to adding vendors, although Roberts stresses additions will need to fit the technology taxonomy Distology has developed for its portfolio.

“We don’t just take vendors on because they happen to be doing a great job,” she says.

“For me, it’s going to fit in with that tech strategy, that taxonomy of vendors that we’ve worked really hard to create.”

For partners, Roberts wants Distology to increasingly act as a source of market intelligence, drawing together information on emerging vendors, technology trends and areas of channel growth.

AI will play a role in that strategy, with the distributor working on projects both to improve its own efficiency and gather and distribute information to partners.