CRN Channel Awards - Finalist Q&A with Michael Evans, Managing Director, CloudMatters

Michael Evans talks being a finalist at this year's CRN Channel Awards

Why do you think awards like the CRN Chanel Awards matter?

The CRN Channel Awards play a vital role in recognising excellence, innovation, and resilience across the IT channel. They shine a spotlight on the companies and individuals who are driving progress, setting new standards, and delivering real value to customers and partners. In a fast-moving industry, these awards help benchmark success, foster healthy competition, and celebrate the hard work that often goes unseen. For us, being part of this recognition is not just an honour - it’s a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come in such a short time.

What would winning this award mean to your company?

Winning this award would be a powerful validation of the dedication, innovation, and teamwork that drives our company forward. Being recognised by CRN in not just one, but two categories, is already a tremendous honour - winning would further affirm our commitment to excellence in the channel and reinforce the trust our clients and partners place in us. It would energise our team, strengthen our brand, and inspire us to continue pushing boundaries in delivering outstanding solutions and service.

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

Our proudest achievement this year has been the successful delivery of our transformative projects that not only exceeded client expectations but also showcase the depth of our technical expertise and collaborative spirit. It was a complex, multi-stakeholder initiative that required agility, innovation, and resilience — and our team rose to the challenge brilliantly. The impact of this project has been felt across the client’s organisation, driving measurable improvements in efficiency, performance and cost savings. It stands as a testament to our commitment to excellence and our ability to deliver meaningful results in a fast-evolving landscape.

What have been the biggest challenges of 2025 so far and how have you overcome them? How have your people helped with that?

One of the biggest challenges of 2025 has been navigating the rapidly shifting economic landscape while continuing to deliver consistent value to our clients. Rising costs, evolving customer expectations, and increased competition have all tested our business. We overcame these challenges by innovation, streamlining operations, especially by adopting AI to automate our ticket requests on our service desk whilst staying closely aligned with our clients’ needs.

Our people have been instrumental in this. Their resilience, creativity, and commitment have not only helped us adapt but thrive. Whether it was embracing new technologies, finding smarter ways to work, or going the extra mile for our customers, their contributions have been the cornerstone of our success this year.

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 industry has undergone significant transformation over the past year. We’ve seen a shift from traditional product reselling to hybrid models that combine services, consulting, and solution delivery. Cloud adoption, AI integration, and cybersecurity have become central pillars of channel growth, with partners increasingly expected to deliver strategic value rather than just technical solutions.

The rise of managed services and outcome-based models has also redefined how success is measured in client relationships.

However, the industry still faces key challenges. Talent shortages in critical areas like AI, cloud, and cybersecurity continue to be an issue. Economic uncertainty and vendor sprawl have made it harder for partners to maintain profitability and clarity in their go-to-market strategies. Moreover, while AI presents vast opportunities, it also brings complexity and hype that partners must help clients navigate responsibly.

To move forward, the industry needs to invest more in workforce development, embrace deeper vendorpartner collaboration, and focus on delivering measurable business outcomes. Listening to partners, simplifying vendor programs, and fostering innovation will be key to sustaining growth and relevance in an increasingly competitive landscape.

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

The coming year presents exciting opportunities for the IT channel, particularly in areas like AI-driven services, cybersecurity, sustainability, and cloud innovation. As AI technologies mature, there's a growing demand for intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and agentic systems that enhance operational efficiency and customer experience. Cybersecurity remains a top priority, with businesses seeking trusted partners to navigate increasingly complex threat landscapes.

Sustainability is also emerging as a strategic imperative, with clients and regulators expecting greener IT practices and transparent ESG reporting. Additionally, the shift toward hybrid and multi-cloud environments opens doors for providers who can deliver seamless integration and optimisation across platforms.

To capitalise on these opportunities, we’re investing in AI capabilities, expanding our cybersecurity offerings, and embedding sustainability into our operations and client solutions