Beyond the box: How Crayon Is Redefining Distribution for the Next Era

Distribution isn’t what it used to be. Once defined by “pick, pack and ship,” the modern distributor is now expected to be a strategic enabler, guiding partners through cloud complexity, AI adoption, and the relentless pace of digital transformation.

Few companies embody that shift better than Crayon, which has built its brand on “distribution done differently.” 

Speaking on techpartner.news’ Beyond the Box podcast, Warren Nolan, Crayon’s senior vice-president of channel and strategy, APAC, said Crayon’s model was born not from reaction, but from conviction.

“We see ourselves not as a middleman in the transaction, but as an enabler of growth,” Nolan said. 

“The shift has been driven by the complexity of cloud licensing, the acceleration of AI, and the tightening of margins, and our response has been to invest in platforms, innovation hubs, and deeper pre-sales capabilities so partners are supported every step of the way.”

That investment includes Cloud IQ Next Gen, Crayon’s modernised partner growth platform, and its ISV Innovation Hub, which helps partners evolve into global players. In Sri Lanka, for instance, Crayon worked with LC Technologies to migrate to Azure, tripling the partner’s investment and expanding its reach to 26 countries — “co-strategy in action,” Nolan said.

Certainly, Crayon’s role as a “co-strategist” aligns closely with the findings of techpartner.news’ Distribution Differentiation report, where partners called for distributors to take a seat at the strategy table. For Nolan, that means embedding directly into partners’ business planning and execution.

“We co-create business plans, run joint strategy sessions, provide enablement for technical teams, and even co-fund go-to-market activities,” he said. “Our success is measured not only by our growth, but by the partner’s growth.”

Trust, Nolan added, is the glue that binds these relationships.

“I’ve had partners say, ‘Sometimes I don’t know where we stop and Crayon begins,’ because we’re so intertwined. That’s the level of trust we aim for: being a true partner in their journey to success.”

Crayon is also helping partners navigate the megatrends reshaping the channel: AI, cybersecurity, modernisation, and sustainability. 

Its AI Centre of Excellence brings data scientists and solution experts into partner engagements to ensure measurable business outcomes, while Technology Advisory Group (TAG) members act as subject-matter experts who help partners navigate compliance, licensing, and customer conversations.

Ultimately, Nolan said, the future of distribution lies in blending automation with human connection.

“The distributor of the future combines digital innovation with human relationships,” he said.

“We’re service-led, not transaction-led, and we sit firmly on the side of our partners. For anyone choosing a distributor in the next five years, the case for Crayon is simple: we’re not just a distributor, we’re a partner for your growth.”