CRN Women & Diversity in Channel Awards - Finalist Q&A with Julian Thompson Interim Managing Director UK at Ingram Micro

Julian Thompson talks being finalists at this year's CRN Women & Diversity in Channel Awards

Why do you think awards like the Women & Diversity in Channel Awards matter?
What would winning this award mean to your company?

The Women & Diversity in Channel Awards shine a spotlight on individuals and organisations that are driving inclusion and change in our industry. The winners of this award are role models for attracting and retaining future talent in the Channel.

For Ingram Micro, when our partners, associates and communities succeed, we succeed. Winning this award is a recognition of the meaningful relationships we have built and is an external validation for our efforts.

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

Over the past year, we have accelerated our digital transformation journey to become a platform company. With our AI-driven Xvantage platform, we provide proactive insights and recommendations to help our partners differentiate and win in their markets. Adoption and engagement continue to grow as partners recognise the value of real-time insights, streamlined operations, and the personalised experiences that Xvantage delivers. In addition to enabling real-time interactions, frictionless quoting and data insights into a single platform, Xvantage brings together a complete solution, including hardware, software, services and cloud.

Working closely with our partner community, we are continuously evolving Xvantage, ensuring the platform not only meets their current needs but also anticipates future opportunities in a rapidly changing digital landscape. We’re very proud of what we have achieved so far.

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

The path to digital transformation involves a great deal of change management. Our people are at the heart of this journey, which would not be possible without their collaboration, creativity and agility. We’ve invested in upskilling and developing internal talent, empowering our teams to lead through change and support our partners with confidence. This resilience and willingness to grow has enabled us to turn challenges into opportunities, making transformation a shared success rooted in continuous learning and a people-first approach.

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

Traditionally, the channel has been built on transactions. Moving product quickly, competing on price, making sure the kit arrives on-site on time. That still matters – but it’s no longer what sets you apart.

Now, it’s about your ability to deliver strategic solutions, especially in areas like AI, automation, and IoT. These technologies have moved from “interesting” to “essential” faster than any technology shift we’ve seen before. Organisations that once hesitated are now actively looking for solutions and the partners who can meet that demand will define the market for years to come.

At the same time, we must not lose sight of the human element. Amid rapid innovation, strong relationships remain foundational. Moving forward, the channel must prioritise both innovation and people, ensuring that trust and collaboration are woven into how we operate and grow together.

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

Business buyers aren’t in the market for more technology; they want outcomes: efficiency gains, sustainability improvements, greater resilience and better customer experience. We, at Ingram Micro, play a proactive and interactive role in helping our partners leverage our Xvantage platform to maximise the opportunities which become available to them.

Third-party marketplace programs are becoming increasingly important to us, and it provides opportunities to accelerate future growth. It’s yet another way we can serve our partners and give them something different to leverage and win. Our focus is on taking the complexity out of transactions and making these environments easier to navigate, particularly when partners are looking for a multi-vendor/product solution.

Another opportunity for us is the continued expansion of our extensive portfolio, both product and services. We always aim to deliver true end-to-end solutions for our partners, which they in turn can leverage and focus their investment in other areas.

The real challenge for many partners isn’t spotting the opportunity – it’s turning it into something ready to sell and deliver. That’s why Ingram Micro has built a connected set of capabilities designed to remove the friction, so partners can focus on the relationship and the result.

Bringing it all together is Xvantage, our AI-powered platform that connects the dots so partners can manage delivery, track success, and see exactly where the next opportunity lies.