Last month we were proud to work with the IAMCP UK and Microsoft to run an invitation only event for Microsoft partners at Farnborough Airport (a great venue if anyone is looking for a southern venue).  

The event focused on how to drive partner commercial success in the fast-changing and competitive market. The International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners (IAMCP) helps partners amplify their voice, collaborate with one another, share best practice, and discover insight and business opportunities. This event formed an important opportunity for the IAMCP to demonstrate its value to its members, helping Microsoft partners succeed by providing them with opportunities to learn, network, collaborate, and influence Microsoft. 

We applied our proven event approach, which has delivered such successful Channel Meet Up events already this year, to ensure all the partners, Microsoft, and the IAMCP, all had maximum benefit from the event. The day consisted of a good mix of insightful keynote presentations alongside roundtable discussions - giving all attendees a chance to learn but also to provide input and feedback on partnering with Microsoft so that the IAMCP could capture that input and provide it back to Microsoft.  It was designed to provide a great opportunity for partners to network face to face, learn from each other, and share best practices and challenges. 

The event was sponsored by four organisations that offer solutions and services to help partners grow their business: Infuse Media, Giacom, Surveil, and Sophos. Each sponsor hosted a roundtable discussion on a topic of interest to the partner community, such as marketing incentives, partner incentives, cloud optimisation, security, and profitability. The sponsor contributions were valued as they were not “selling” but facilitating discussions and sharing expertise.  

The speakers on the day included James Marshall, Microsoft Azure Success Manager, who gave an excellent keynote on 'Working with partners to build a successful Azure practice and to optimise the customer lifetime journey’. This gave everyone an insight on the key points to consider when driving commercial success from a SaaS business.  

Elena Baeva, IAMCP International VP and D&I Committee Chair, IAMCP EMEA President & IAMCP UK VP, gave a keynote on ‘Inclusive Leadership’. Elena’s presentation was interactive and inclusive as she shared interesting tactics that ensure you always consider those around you in every business interaction.  

The fireside chat with Richard Hughes, Partner Strategy Director, Seer 365; IAMCP EMEA Strategic Alliances Chair & UK Sustainability Lead, who was interviewed alongside Sophy Gray, Founder and Managing Director of 7Demand, gave the audience some helpful and practical tips around maximising the benefits of the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, and how to use marketing tactics to drive opportunities and demand. 

The event was recognised for offering a mix of presentations and peer interaction. The feedback was very positive, with many expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to connect with other partners and learn from the experts. 7Demand was delighted to be part of this event and to showcase our expertise in facilitating engaging and valuable partner networking sessions. We look forward to working with the IAMCP UK again, to take these great sessions into other areas in the UK and into EMEA. Helping the IAMCP and the partner community to achieve their goals. 

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