“Skills Gaps, Legacy Models, and Lack of Integration Hinder Scalability”
Ranjith Kaippada, the Managing Director of Cloud Box Technologies, says the channel is healthier than ever, but it demands agility and specialisation
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?
My career journey in the IT industry has been driven by a passion for solving real-world problems through technology. I began in technical sales and worked my way up through strategic roles that shaped my understanding of both vendor and partner dynamics. A turning point was when I led a regional digital transformation initiative that brought together multiple stakeholders in a complex partner ecosystem.
This success solidified my belief in collaboration and agile thinking. Today, as the Managing Director, I focus on scaling our capabilities and strengthening our channel partnerships to deliver impactful, future-ready IT solutions across industries. Each milestone has reaffirmed the value of purpose-led leadership.
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?
As Managing Director, my role is centered on enabling long-term success through a channel-first mindset. I collaborate closely with our internal teams and strategic partners to co-develop solutions that address market needs while aligning with our business vision. This includes refining go-to-market strategies, setting measurable goals, and ensuring partners have access to training, tools, and support.
I also champion open communication, making space for feedback loops and innovation. My focus is not just on short-term wins but on facilitating a resilient ecosystem where mutual growth thrives. This holistic approach ensures we remain agile, competitive, and positioned to lead in a dynamic digital landscape.
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 IT channel in our region is undergoing a transformation fueled by cloud adoption, AI integration, and the shift toward service-centric models. Traditional reselling is giving way to value-added services, and partners must now offer consultative, outcome-driven solutions. We’re seeing increased interest in managed services, cybersecurity, and vertical-specific digital transformation.
The channel is healthier than ever, but it demands agility and specialization. Collaboration between vendors, distributors, and partners is evolving into ecosystems of innovation rather than simple supply chains. The regional market is particularly responsive to emerging tech, making it a hotbed for scalable, forward-thinking channel strategies.
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 lies in keeping pace with technological change while managing partner enablement. Many channel players struggle to transform quickly enough, especially around AI, cloud, and cybersecurity services. Skills gaps, legacy models, and lack of integration often hinder scalability.
On the flip side, the opportunity lies in specialization and co-innovation. There’s growing demand for tailored solutions in sectors like healthcare, education, and logistics. Partners that invest in industry expertise, build agile service models, and align with digital-first customer expectations will unlock tremendous value. The winners will be those who combine deep tech understanding with a sharp business and vertical focus.
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 partners to shift from product-based selling to outcome-focused service delivery. This means understanding customer challenges at a business level and offering integrated, scalable solutions. Specialization is critical, whether in industries, platforms, or technologies like cybersecurity and AI. Partners should embrace recurring revenue models such as managed services and cloud subscriptions, which provide predictable income and deeper customer engagement.
Strategic alliances also help unlock cross-selling opportunities. Equally important is investing in training and certifications to build a trusted advisory status. Agility, innovation, and customer-centricity must guide every engagement. Those who evolve into solution partners, not just vendors, will achieve long-term profitability and loyalty.
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 redefining the IT channel. Partners must now rethink traditional delivery models and embrace AI as a foundational layer across solutions. Generative AI streamlines workflows and augments service delivery, while Agentic AI introduces autonomous systems that reshape operations, from customer service to backend optimization. This creates new partner opportunities in consulting, data governance, integration, and AI-driven application development. However, success requires upskilling.
Teams must understand AI ethics, data handling, prompt engineering, and model integration. The most valuable partners will blend technical expertise with strategic insight, helping customers navigate AI adoption responsibly. Those who embrace this shift will lead the next wave of channel innovation.
Given the escalating sophistication of cyber threats, how can channel partners best position themselves to deliver comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, moving beyond traditional offerings to address emerging risks like AI evasion?
Cybersecurity must now go beyond firewalls and antivirus software. With threats becoming more advanced, including AI-powered evasion techniques, channel partners must offer layered, adaptive security solutions. This means integrating zero-trust frameworks, behavior-based threat detection, MDR, and automated incident response. Partners should position themselves as security advisors, offering regular risk assessments, compliance consulting, and user education.
Collaboration with cybersecurity vendors is crucial for access to cutting-edge tools and threat intelligence. Investing in security certifications and building specialized teams will differentiate partners in a crowded market. Ultimately, those who deliver proactive, end-to-end protection tailored to customer environments will lead in trust and recurring revenue.
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?
ESG is no longer optional, it’s a key differentiator. Channel partners must embed sustainability into their business models and offerings. This can begin with optimizing operations by reducing energy use, adopting green data centers, and minimizing waste in hardware deployments. From a service perspective, partners can promote cloud solutions that reduce carbon footprints, offer e-waste recycling programs, and align with vendors committed to ESG. Transparency in ESG reporting builds client trust, especially in regulated industries.
Social impact through inclusive hiring, skills development, or community outreach adds further value. Those who align purpose with performance will meet evolving client expectations and stand out in tenders and partnerships.
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 specialized industry solutions?
Attracting top talent in AI, cybersecurity, and niche IT fields requires more than just good pay. Today’s professionals want purpose, growth, and flexibility. Channel partners must build a strong employer brand that values learning, innovation, and inclusion. Offer clear career paths, hands-on training, and industry certifications to help employees grow. Encourage cross-functional skills so teams can deliver end-to-end solutions. Hybrid work models and results-based KPIs go a long way in retaining top performers. Ultimately, partners who prioritize people as much as technology will stand out, scale faster, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving IT landscape.
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?
MSPs, ISVs, and system integrators are moving from isolated roles to becoming key players in a collaborative digital ecosystem. MSPs are expanding from basic support to delivering proactive, AI-driven managed services. ISVs are developing industry-specific applications and integrating with cloud-native platforms. System integrators are now orchestrating end-to-end digital transformations.
The best results come when these partners work together, MSPs ensure performance, ISVs deliver innovation, and integrators align it all with business goals. Co-selling, joint solution bundles, and shared knowledge can unlock scalable growth. Those who break silos and collaborate effectively will drive more value, deliver seamless customer experiences, and lead in solution delivery.
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?
Adaptability is the foundation of long-term success in the IT channel. Partners must embrace continuous technological, operational, and cultural transformation. Focus on developing deep expertise in high-impact areas like AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and vertical solutions. Build ecosystems, not just partnerships, and prioritize outcomes over transactions.
Invest in people, training, and customer success. Always listen to the market and respond with agility. The most successful partners will be those who consistently align innovation with client needs while staying committed to values like trust, transparency, and sustainability. In this fast-moving landscape, relevance isn’t maintained by legacy, it’s earned by evolution.
