Pipeline 2026 Day 2: M&A trends, channel security & staff retention

Attendees at techpartner.news Pipeline 2026 got an inside glimpse of the trends for leaders making M&A decisions in the next two to three years, as well as hearing about what CIOs really want from their technology partners, on Day 2 of the channel's conference.

Mark Iles, Chief Analyst at Omdia, shared independent analysis around the latest deals and valuations in both the local and global ICT industry.

"We're seeing increased overseas interest in Australia and New Zealand. We're obviously a mature market, so we behave a lot like EMEA, we behave a little bit like North America [and] we're becoming an increasingly attractive place for buyers," he said.

With Australia's National AI plan being rolled out and changes to the Privacy Act on the horizon, techpartner.news Contributing Editor Brad Howarth provided a snapshot of the cyber landscape and what that means for cybersecurity partners.

His session touched on how emerging policy, regulation and AI adoption are shaping security demand in the channel and how partners can help customers respond to changing expectations around data, risk and accountability, as well as a pulse check of current conditions for selling security products and services.

"From an identity perspective, there's really interesting challenges coming up in the identity and access management space [and] a huge opportunity emerging, and one that I think will be providing significant returns for 12 to 24 months," he told the audience.

John Khoury, CTO of Strandbags and Jennifer Kazangi, A/Chief Information Officer at Police Bank Ltd., shared their thoughts about what works, what doesn’t, and what they are truly looking for in partnerships today when it comes to CIOs and their relationships with technology partners.

"What I really like to hear is what they're investing in. What technology are they looking at? Where do we stand, where do they see our gaps are or opportunities for growth? Equally, for us to share with them where we want to get to, what our current roadblocks or speed humps are," said Kazangi.

"I'd like to hear about their challenges, about their progress, whether there's a merger or acquisition [in the pipeline], if there's new skills that they've acquired. Basically, tell me about their world and ask about my world," said Khoury.

In an environment where people working in lower level roles in the ICT channel are getting nervous about AI, work from home remains a flashpoint, and small channel firms are increasingly competing for staff with bigger players, Dean Ellis, founder and director of Queensland-based technology recruitment firm Rec4Tech laid out his view of what staff retention looks like in 2026.

He spoke about how the employment market has changed, what he sees tech employees wanting this year, why some are quietly looking to move, plus a practical playbook of steps partners can take to attract employees and keep them.

"What I see working within the industry is those MSPs that are really putting some time [into] their employee value proposition. Start with culture, number one. Continue professional development. What that means is [engineers] want to know what their career path looks like. They don't want to be ambiguous," he said.

Following the content sessions, partners taking part in the Aussie Broadband-sponsored golf round enjoyed 360-degree views across secluded coves and beaches, adjacent passages and islands as they teed off on Hamilton Island Golf Club, a par 71 course marketed as one of the most challenging in the world.

Meanwhile, other Pipeline attendees roamed Hamilton Island as part of the Coro-sponsored buggy challenge.

Day 2 concluded with a street party and Pipeline Polar Bears - an inaugural dunk tank, with all proceeds going to support the Northern Beaches Women's Shelters - both sponsored by Kaseya.