Photos: Pipeline 2023 day three

Day three of Pipeline 2023 kicked off with a full house for a morning discussing AI, automation, offshoring and M&A.

Microsoft ANZ SMB channel lead Brad Clarke laid out the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, preparing for co-pilot and owning the AI narrative.

“The problem we have with Azure is not demand, it’s the reseller capability to service that demand.”

Company advisor and board member Dominic O' Hanlon talked about offshoring, and the challenges of maintaining an accountable workforce, tracking productivity, unpredictable compliance regimes and other challenges.

O'Hanlon noted that as more MSPs turn to offshoring to deal with higher costs and a tougher talent market it's important to be aware of what can go wrong.

CRN Fast50 company Virtual IT Group's managing director Christian Pacheco shared insights he's gained over the last four years while acquiring 14 companies.

 He urged partners to invest in automation. He noted automation of core business functions around leads, onboarding customers and analysing data, can mitigate the risk of a central staff member leaving or making a mistake and a key function collapsing. 

Christian Pacheco discussed key due diligence issues, including VITG priorities regarding people and culture, services and processes, customer relationships and public perception. 

Group commercial editor, Velvet-Belle Templeman

Lynkz and DevBricks founder and CEO Braden Voigt, Macquarie Group infrastructure, technology and banking Leane Mason; iasset.com CEO and founder Scott Frew; company advisor and board member Dominic O'Hanlon. They shared M&A experiences, insights and advice.

Scott Frew (iasset.com)

Braden Voigt (Lynkz, Lynkz People, DevBricks)

Leane Mason (Macquarie Group)

Dominic O'Hanlon and Scott Frew

CRN editor-in chief hosting the panel on 'M&A experiences and lessons'

Mogrify's Melanie Unwin took the audience through the foundational marketing and investment opportunities for Australian M&As. She walked the audience through how M&A partners or channels who are plaaning to get acquired can get on the M&A radar.

Sydney-headquartered managed service provider Tribetech told the audience about its AI-connected business automation solution World of Workflows.

TribeTech’s chief software architect Nick Beaugeard told partners to “embrace AI as an inevitable transformative force.”

Beaugeard broke down why World of Workflows is attracting the interest of government agencies, broadcasters, schools and manufacturers looking to fix “annoying little automation roadblocks.”

Sean Dendle (Cymax)  

Nathan Moorehouse (Williams Technology)

Benton Nicol (Connectwise), Nate Moorehouse (Williams Technology) and Rutland Smith (Harvey Norman) 

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.

Pipeline guests in the distribution-hosted beer tasting hall.