CRN Channel Awards - Finalist Q&A with Mark McCormack, Managing Director at Academia Ltd

Mark McCormack talks being a finalist at this year's CRN Channel Awards

Why do you think awards like the Channel Awards matter?

The CRN Channel Awards remain one of the most prestigious events in the technology industry, shining a spotlight on innovation, resilience and excellence across the sector. They not only celebrate the organisations driving transformation through technology but also highlight the people and partnerships that make this success possible. In a rapidly evolving market, these awards provide an important platform to showcase best practice, benchmark achievement and inspire the next wave of progress across the channel.

What would winning this award mean to your company?

For Academia, being recognised in 2025 carries particular significance — it reflects the double-digit growth we’ve achieved in a challenging market, our 42% increase in recurring revenues and the commitment of our long-serving team who continue to drive our success.

Winning this award would be a powerful validation of our people-first culture, our investments in managed services and lifecycle IT solutions and our dedication to helping clients achieve more through technology. It would not only honour the progress we’ve made, but also energise us as we deliver on our ambitious Vision for 2026.

What would you say is your company’s proudest achievement over the past year?

Our proudest achievement over the past year has been delivering double-digit overall growth in one of the most challenging markets the industry has faced. We’re particularly proud of the 42% year-on-year increase in recurring revenues, which reflects our successful focus on managed services and the value this brings to our clients.

What has set us apart is the resilience and dedication of our people. Our long-serving, established team has risen to these pressures by working collaboratively across the group to deliver innovative solutions that demonstrate real ROI and long-term value for our customers. This culture of teamwork — what we call #BetterTogether — has ensured that even in a tough market, we’ve delivered double-digit growth, expanded our managed services and strengthened recurring revenues.

How do you think the industry has changed over the past year and what changes do you think it still needs to make?

The IT channel is ever-changing — constantly innovating and advancing — and the past year has been no exception. One of the biggest shifts has been the accelerated move towards recurring revenue models, with customers seeking predictable, scalable services that deliver measurable outcomes. This trend has reshaped how providers operate, making managed services and long-term partnerships more important than ever.

Looking ahead, the industry still needs to focus on deeper collaboration, greater transparency and embedding ESG principles into everyday operations. Customers are demanding not just technology but outcomes that are cost-effective, sustainable and future-proof — and the channel must rise to that challenge.

What do you see as the main opportunities for the industry in the coming year? How do you plan to capitalise on those opportunities?

Cybersecurity will remain one of the biggest growth areas in the year ahead, as organisations across all sectors face heightened threats and increased compliance demands. At Academia, we’ve been scaling our cyber team and expanding our services portfolio over the past few years and we are now well-positioned to capitalise on that momentum.

Another major opportunity lies in Lifecycle IT services, where customers are increasingly looking for secure, sustainable and end-to-end, cross-platform device lifecycle services. With our ITAD and Lifecycle offerings, we’re helping organisations manage their assets more effectively — from deployment to provisioning, supporting JML’s through to secure retirement — while reducing risk, controlling costs and meeting ESG goals. This remains a key differentiator for Academia.

As a business that follows a strict ESG policy, we’re committed to supporting our customers’ journeys with eco-friendly solutions that deliver both impact and efficiency. With cyber, lifecycle, managed services and sustainability at the heart of our strategy, we see 2026 as a year of real opportunity for Academia and our customers.