Paul Flannery, the VP for International Channel at Epicor, says, the channel remains resilient but is undergoing a significant transformation
Could you share an overview of your career path to date, highlighting the pivotal moments or achievements that have shaped your leadership within the IT channel?
I’ve spent 35 years in technology, building my career across both direct and indirect sales leadership roles at global firms like Oracle and Sun Microsystems. Over that time, I’ve developed a deep understanding of enterprise solutions and the pivotal role of the channel in delivering customer outcomes.
Joining Epicor in 2018 to lead international channel sales was a defining moment. In this role, I’ve been able to focus on helping partners navigate the shift to cloud, building profitable annuity streams, and investing in their growth. Launching our Competency-Capability-Compete framework and seeing a 39% uplift in SaaS mix across top partners over the last 12 months has been one of the most satisfying achievements of my leadership journey.
As a key channel influencer within your company, what are your primary roles and responsibilities in shaping strategy, driving engagement, and fostering growth within the partner ecosystem?
My role centres on embedding partners into our go-to-market strategy as true members of the Epicor family. I work closely with our ELT and ILT to align regions, resources, and investments around partners’ success, ensuring coverage, capacity, and capability growth. Beyond strategy, I champion engagement through initiatives like our Partner Council, executive 1:1s, and our annual Momentum conference, giving partners a platform to shape our direction. Day-to-day, I focus on enabling partners with the tools, skills, and funding they need to win. Ultimately, it’s their growth that drives ours.
How would you assess the current health and evolution of the IT channel, particularly within our region? What significant trends or shifts are you observing?
The channel remains resilient but is undergoing a significant transformation. In the Middle East, we’re seeing a clear acceleration towards cloud-based, subscription-driven models, and a growing demand for industry-specific, outcome-based solutions. Specialisation, whether by vertical or platform, is emerging as a real differentiator. Partners are also contending with greater pressure to deliver measurable business outcomes and lifecycle customer value. At the same time, the best are embracing the opportunity to position themselves as trusted advisors on digital transformation, rather than just resellers.
What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing the IT channel in the region today, and conversely, what is the most significant untapped opportunity for partners?
The biggest challenge is attracting and retaining top talent while keeping pace with rapid technological advancements like AI and cloud. Of course, regional dynamics force partners to do all this while operating all within nuanced economic conditions.
The untapped opportunity lies in specialisation. Partners who can demonstrate clear expertise are best positioned to deliver meaningful outcomes and capture greater wallet share.
In your opinion, what are the most effective strategies partners can employ to drive sustainable growth and profitability in the current market, especially considering evolving customer demands?
Sustainable growth requires moving beyond transactional sales to delivering measurable outcomes across the customer lifecycle. I’d advise partners to embrace a “land, adopt, expand, renew” mindset, invest in skills that strengthen their customer experience capabilities, and specialise in areas they can be “famous for.” Combining these with a clear focus on lifecycle value rather than product volume is proving the most effective way to improve win rates and customer loyalty in today’s market.
How is the rapid advancement of AI, including Agentic AI and Generative AI, fundamentally reshaping the channel’s business models, partner opportunities, and the skill sets required for success?
AI is shifting customer expectations and opening up entirely new service opportunities. For the channel, it means rethinking business models to prioritise advisory services, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation over traditional product sales. Partners need to build skills in translating AI into practical customer outcomes, helping businesses harness data for better decision-making and operational efficiency. Those who invest in upskilling now stand to differentiate themselves as trusted advisors in a fast-changing landscape.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors and sustainability are gaining prominence. How can channel partners integrate these principles into their operations and offerings to create competitive advantages and meet evolving client expectations?
Partners can align with ESG goals by showing customers how technology choices can advance sustainability. For example, moving to the cloud to lower energy consumption, digitising processes to reduce waste, and offering solutions that support efficient operations. Internally, embedding ESG into their own practices also strengthens credibility and brand appeal. Customers increasingly favour partners who can demonstrate both awareness of ESG and the ability to help them meet their targets.
The IT landscape demands continuous learning. What advice do you have for channel partners on attracting, developing, and retaining top talent, particularly in areas like AI, cloud security, and specialised industry solutions?
People are a partner’s most valuable asset. To attract and retain top talent, I’d advise focusing on upskilling and creating a culture of growth. Invest in continuous training. This should not only be in technical areas like AI and security, but also in customer experience and business outcome delivery. Encourage certifications, create clear progression paths, and foster an inclusive environment that supports professional and personal development.
How do you see the roles of different partner types — such as Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), and system integrators — evolving, and how can they best collaborate to deliver integrated solutions?
Partners now have more opportunity than ever to create their own IP and leverage AI and other technologies to deliver richer, more integrated solutions. As a result, we’re seeing traditional partner roles evolve and, in many cases, overlap. VARs are increasingly developing proprietary software like ISVs, while SIs are expanding into multi-cloud integration and workflow solutions to offer true end-to-end services.
What’s particularly exciting is how former competitors are now collaborating, combining complementary strengths to deliver seamless customer experiences. For example, a BI and analytics specialist might partner with a content management expert to jointly deliver a solution that rivals what a large SI would traditionally offer.
It’s hugely beneficial to end customers and for the channel, success will come down to mindset and cultural alignment. Forward-thinking partners recognise that winning 70% of an opportunity through collaboration is far better than winning nothing by going it alone. Asking “what can we deliver ourselves, and where should we partner?” is becoming the hallmark of the most effective strategies. This collaborative, customer-centric approach is helping the partner ecosystem unlock greater value and deliver innovation at scale.
Drawing from your experience and looking ahead, what is your most crucial piece of advice for partners seeking long-term success and relevance in this rapidly transforming IT channel?
Stay close to your customers and focus on delivering measurable business outcomes rather than just technology. Specialise, invest in your people, and embrace the lifecycle mindset, looking carefully at every stage — from initial sale through renewal. Above all, be proactive about adapting to change; those who innovate and stay relevant to customer needs will always find opportunities, even in challenging markets.
