Digital Future Aotearoa wins this award for embedding DE&I at every level of the organisation, with numerous programs in place to build up a skilled and resilient community. Last year, it refurbished and gifted 2,920 laptops and provided learning environments for 591 ākonga and 3,984 tamariki to pick up tech skills.
DE&I Vendor/Distributor
- AWS NZ
- Dicker Data NZ
- Salesforce
Winner: AWS
AWS New Zealand set out a strategy in 2024 for engaging with Te Ao Māori and has excelled at supporting Māori digital aspirations. This includes the commitment to train 100,000 New Zealanders in digital skills, which comprises its ongoing support of the Indigitech program to increase Māori and Pasifika student participation in STEM subjects.
Sustainability
- Echo
- Brightly
- Entelar Group
- HP NZ
- Jabra
- One NZ
- Quadrent
- Salesforce
- Schneider Electric
- Westcon-Comstor
Winners: Echo and Schneider Electric
Echo
Aiming to recover 20,000 tonnes of e-waste annually by 2028, Echo’s establishment of an accredited, secure and transparent end-of-life pathway for IT hardware has enabled MSPs, SIs, and corporate IT teams to meet environmental obligations. In the 23-24 financial year, Echo diverted almost 4 million kilograms of electronic waste from landfill, a number that has grown consistently year on year.
Schneider Electric
With the right knowledge in place, partners use Schneider Electric’s advanced tools and configurators to design lower-impact solutions and optimise hardware efficiency. Product selectors and carbon calculators help them choose efficient, recyclable components and understand the environmental footprint of their designs — right from the start.
Partner recognises MSPs, System Integrators and VARs responsible for providing customers with innovative solutions across key market segments of Enterprise (1000+), Mid-market (100-1000) and SMB (less than 100 seats). Additionally, it acknowledges partners providing pioneering technology solutions in regional or remote locations. Please note: Projects mentioned in the nomination must be less than two years old. Sponsored by Schneider Electric
Enterprise
- CyberCX
- DataSentinel
- Deloitte NZ
- netQ
- Securecom
- Systems Advisory Services
Highly commended: Securecom
Winner: Deloitte NZ
Deloitte NZ wins this award for the establishment of a facilities asset management information system application for a government agency, transforming the way it manages assets. Deloitte was faced with constrained timeframes and budget but delivered a pilot in eight weeks and rolled out the solution nationally in seven months.
Mid-market
- Advantage
- Both Brains
- DataSentinel
- Lexel Systems
- netQ
- Securecom
Winner: Securecom
Securecom provides 24/7 support nationwide and holds a customer satisfaction score above 97 per cent. It strived to re-invent its IT support model with TotalCARE Flex, a flexible, personalised managed service tailored to midmarket organisations that can balance proactive support, monitoring, patching and incident response with strategic projects in the same package.
SMB
- Advantage
- Both Brains
- Delta Insights
Winner: Delta Insights
Delta Insights’ work with New Zealand’s largest accommodation and rehabilitation provider for people exiting the justice system, Grace Foundation, saw it implement a custom CRM solution in 12 weeks. This helped it support more than 500 residents with 1,560 admin hours saved annually and $7.5 million in potential unlocked funding.
Regional
- Advantage
- Both Brains
- DataSentinel
- Yorb
Highly commended: DataSentinel
Winner: Both Brains
Based in Queenstown, Both Brains supports over 200 clients and hasn’t lost a single managed service customer in over 12 years. Its work with Glenorchy Air saw it migrating line-of-business applications to Azure and consolidated communication and filesharing tools into Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
Tech Partner recognises partners leveraging established and emerging solutions to enhance customer innovation levels with Cloud; Security; Digital Transformation; and Emerging Technology segments. Please note: Projects mentioned in the nomination must be less than two years old. Sponsored by Entelar Group
Cloud
- Cyber CX
- Datacom
- Securecom
- TEAM IM/ TEAM Cloud
Highly commended: CyberCX
Winner: Datacom
With hundreds of certifications from Microsoft and AWS, Datacom’s cloud credentials are second to none, holding expertise in public, hybrid, multi and private cloud strategies. It’s also the only New Zealand-owned and operated organisation to have both the Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Service Provider accreditation and the AWS Managed Services Provider accreditation.
Digital Transformation
- Cumulo9
- Deloitte NZ
- Delta Insights
- RUSH
- Systems Advisory Services
- Theta
- Yorb
Winner: RUSH
RUSH’s expertise spans native mobile development, machine learning, real-time geolocation, and complex system integrations. Its work with Z Energy saw it quickly develop and release a new loyalty programme app which saw more than 43,000 new customers and 64,000 downloads in its first month.
Emerging Tech
- Arinco
- Bluefern
- CyberCX
- One NZ
- RUSH
Highly commended: RUSH
Winner: One NZ
Following Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, One NZ accelerated its collaboration with SpaceX to deliver messaging to unmodifed phones via LEO satellites. Behind this innovation was a disciplined ideation-to-deployment cycle, leveraging strategic global partnerships, and nationwide engineering, which has been vital during natural disasters.
Security
- Advantage
- Arinco
- CyberCX
- CyberGrape
- netQ
Winner: CyberCX
As a provider of professional cyber security and cloud services across New Zealand, CyberCX has workforce of more of than 200 people across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Servicing a range of public and private sector organisations, CyberCX helps customers manage cyber risk, respond to incidents and build resilience.
Start Up recognises market-leading start-ups building unique businesses to bring innovative new technologies to the New Zealand market, delivering value to specific market verticals and entrepreneurs developing new ventures. Sponsored by Dicker Data
Product
- Blacklock Security
- Delta Insights
- Entelar Group
- Kōwhai AI
Winner: Kōwhai AI
Kōwhai AI partners with Kiwi businesses, enterprises, and the public sector to make AI, data, and automation practical, as well as secure. It was founded with a clear vision to fill in the gap between AI hype and practical, sustainable adoption.
Entrepreneur
- Nilesh Kapoor (Blacklock Security)
- Dale Roberts (Scopious IoT)
Winner: Nilesh Kapoor (Blacklock Security)
Nilesh Kapoor launched Blacklock in 2021 to solve a long-standing problem in cyber security. His entrepreneurial mindset was shaped by 15+ years of delivering IT security consulting and penetration testing for banks, government agencies, and digital identity platforms.
Vendor recognises vendors helping partners deliver transformative solutions and services to customers, operating market-leading approaches to engagement and enablement across the key technology segments of Cloud, Security, Hardware, Software, Specialist and Homegrown ISV. Sponsored by Ingram Micro
Cloud
- HPE
- TEAM IM/ TEAM Cloud
- TechClick
Winner: HPE
In New Zealand, HPE stands as a modern, channel-centric cloud vendor with the infrastructure to prove it. Its 11-member channel team, representing over 10 per cent of the local workforce, supports a partner community that contributes more than 90 per cent of HPE NZ’s annual revenue.
Hardware
Winner: HP NZ
HP has demonstrated long-standing dedication to its local partner ecosystem with its hardware solutions and essential resources to thrive in a competitive environment. This sustained emphasis on its channel-centric approach generates enduring benefits for NZ partners, enhancing their market position, capabilities, and growth trajectories.
Homegrown ISV
Winner: ZenContract
ZenContract is a unique contract lifecycle management platform purpose-built for MSPs. It directly enables innovation at the customer level by transforming how local MSPs interact with and deliver value to their customers.
Security
- Arctic Wolf
- ESET
- Fortinet
- Lightwire
- N-Able
- Palo Alto Networks
- WatchGuard Technologies
Highly commended: Lightwire
Winner: Fortinet
Fortinet New Zealand is proudly a channel-led security vendor. Its channel strategy and programme has been developed locally from the ground up to reflect the distinct needs of its NZ partners.
Software
Winner: Salesforce
Salesforce stands as a quintessential channel-centric software vendor, deeply embedding partners into its NZ go-to-market strategy. The approach is built on a foundation of mutual success, recognising that partner expertise is crucial for delivering transformative solutions across Aotearoa.
Specialist
- DataSentinel
- Jabra
- Lightwire
- Schneider Electric
Winner: DataSentinel
DataSentinel works exclusively via the channel, enabling its partners to offer a range of database and data platform-related services under their own brands. This channel-only philosophy is core to the company’s go-to-market strategy, delivery model, and partner programmes.
Distributor recognises distributors leading ecosystem innovation and growth through transformative approaches to vendor engagement and partner enablement, spanning the categories of Hardware, Software, Specialist and Creativity.
Creativity
- Chillisoft
- Dicker Data NZ
- Ingram Micro NZ
- Netpoleon NZ
- NEXTGEN
- Westcon-Comstor
Winner: NEXTGEN
NEXTGEN’s approach to channel engagement delivers sustained benefits by combining AI-driven insights with human expertise. Its latest innovative tools—Buyer Predictor and Industry Radar—enable partners to act on real-time intelligence, reducing sales cycles, increasing conversion rates and enhancing the overall quality of channel engagement.
Hardware
- Dicker Data
- Go Wireless NZ
- Ingram Micro NZ
- Westcon-Comstor
Winner: Ingram Micro
Empowering a network of over 2,000 active resellers and partnerships with 160 global vendors, Ingram offers one of the most comprehensive hardware portfolios in the country. The distributor has a team of 270 dedicated professionals delivering end-to-end support across sales, technical consulting, marketing, and business development.
Software
Winner: Dicker Data NZ
Dicker Data is NZ’s largest software distributor, with revenue hitting $179 million in 2024. The company has also gained further exclusive distribution for several software vendors with 65 per cent of software brands having a sole distribution agreement.
Specialist
- Chillisoft
- Crayon
- Entelar Group
- Netpoleon NZ
- Westcon-Comstor
Winners: Chillisoft and Westcon-Comstor
Chillisoft
As a specialist cyber security distributor, Chillisoft delivers advanced technical services, strategic partner enablement, and regional leadership. Its focus on innovation and managed services has significantly expanded value for partners across Aotearoa, Australia, and the Pacific.
Westcon-Comstor
With deep expertise and long-standing partnership with AWS, Weston-Comstor is uniquely positioned as a market-leading specialist distributor, enabling partners to unlock the full potential of the AWS ecosystem. Westcon-Comstor simplifies AWS program engagement for partners through streamlined onboarding, billing activation, incentive management, and support ticket assistance.
Personal Innovation recognises standout individuals who contribute to customer, company and channel success through a transformative approach to management, channel, sales, technical and marketing positions. Sponsored by Jabra
Channel Excellence
- Paul Bassett – Cisco
- Galit Jona – Delta Insights
- Blair Strahan – HP NZ
- Craig Murphy – HPE
- Shabana Khan – Jabra
- Nick Wangford – Kowhai AI
- Rachel McBeth – Schneider Electric
- Chad Kelly – Veeam
Winner: Craig Murphy – HPE
Craig has been instrumental in delivering tangible business value to channel partners, driving ecosystem growth and elevating innovation across the region. One standout example is his leadership during the rollout of HPE’s Private Cloud AI and GreenLake offerings in FY25, where Craig spearheaded a partner-first strategy that enabled resellers to unlock new revenue streams through exclusive channel-only sales motions.
Distributor
- Kenneth Caballero – Entelar Group
- Charlie Meaker – NEXTGEN
- Irene Naidu – SnapperNet
Highly commended: Kenneth Caballero – Entelar Group
Winner: Charles Meaker – NEXTGEN
Charlie Meaker has been instrumental in enabling business growth for channel partners, exemplified by his transformative engagement with an AWS partner. Under Charlie’s strategic guidance, this partner evolved from a Select Tier to an Advanced Tier AWS Partner within a single year, positioning this partner among the top echelon of AWS partners in the APAC region.
Management Excellence
Partner:
- Jenni Powell – Both Brains
- Brett Wellington – PB Tech
- Roly Smoldon – Ricoh NZ
- Matt Roberts – Systems Advisory Services
- Iain Boyd – Softsource vBridge
- Daniel Goymer – Yorb
Highly commended: Jenni Powell – Both Brains
Winner: Daniel Goymer – Yorb
Appointed to the role of CEO in 2024, 20-year Yorb veteran Daniel Goymer had no hesitation in promptly overhauling the business. He implemented EOS to align company and departmental goals with quarterly objectives, introduced financial transparency and accountability across teams, and established robust budgeting and forecasting frameworks.
Vendor/Distributor:
- Jessica McFadden – Cisco
- Blair Willers – HP NZ
- Nick Phillips – Lightwire
- Rob Purdy – Westcon-Comstor
Winner: Rob Purdy – Westcon-Comstor
Rob Purdy joined Westcon–Comstor in October 2024 as partner sales director, bringing with him a wealth of experience and leadership expertise. His clear direction and hands-on style lifted team engagement and performance, with 100 per cent focus on partner success.
Marketing Excellence
- Mark Hayes – Adobe
- Igor Portugal – Blacklock.io
- Jennifer Hall – Entelar Group
- Patrina Kerr – Fabric Brand Partners
- Cayce Wong – HP NZ
- Simon Walker – Systems Advisory Services
Winner: Jennifer Hall – Entelar Group
With a career spanning support, IT, sales, product and distribution – all before transitioning to IT marketing – Jennifer possesses a combination of industry knowledge, pragmatism and energy. As one of the most certified marketers in the country, she embodies a proactive approach. She doesn’t wait for opportunities; she creates them, and the results speak volumes.
Sales Excellence
Partner:
- Victor Marengo – PB Tech
- Carl Black – Systems Advisory Services
- Rich Marshall – Yorb
Winner: Victor Marengo – PB Tech
Over the past year, Victor has delivered extraordinary commercial outcomes by transforming licensing into a strategic growth engine for PB Tech. His efforts have driven value across multiple dimensions in the business and he secured several high-value contracts with government and enterprise customers.
Vendor:
- Felix Burton – Cisco
- Victoria Cotton – HP NZ
- Andy Scott – Palo Alto Networks
Highly commended: Victoria Cotton – HP NZ
Winner: Felix Burton – Cisco
Since assuming his new role within Cisco, Felix has significantly elevated Cisco’s position as a strategic partner in the NZ enterprise market. His commercial acumen and ability to foster deep strategic partnerships have enabled him to consistently exceed sales targets, closing the largest deal in Cisco Enterprise NZ.
Technical Excellence
Partner:
- Dinesh Sharma – Datacom
- Mark Harrison – Deloitte
- Adrian Soh – netQ
Winner: Dinesh Sharma – Datacom
As an ‘AWS Golden Jacket’ owner, Dinesh holds the highest levels of AWS technical proficiency. He integrates this technical knowledge with business insights to support clients in achieving their goals. Dinesh’s ability to translate technical depth into customer value is what sets him apart in the cloud industry.
Vendor/Distributor:
- Nilesh Kapoor – Blacklock Security
- Craig Geary – HP NZ
- Craig Corfield – HPE
- Karnali Dhanani – Lightwire
- Alex Skeen – NEXTGEN
- Tess Davis – Palo Alto Networks
- Grant Woodbury – Westcon-Comstor
Highly commended: Grant Woodbury – Westcon-Comstor
Winner: Tess Davis – Palo Alto Networks
Tess is a leading technical authority in cyber security. Her career spans more than 15 years across virtualisation, cloud migration, DevSecOps, and AI security. She brings a uniquely broad and deep knowledge of security practices, underpinned by hands-on implementation experience and formal qualifications in physics.
Hall of Fame – Phil Johnson Sponsored by Westcon and VMware
A serial entrepreneur, Phil Johnson began his career in the early 1980s, specialising in Novell systems and networking.
After returning to New Zealand in 1987, he helped develop training courses for Novell and Polytech.
Johnson was instrumental in setting ethical standards for IT in New Zealand, collaborating with companies like Computer Concepts, ComputerLand and mentoring fellow IT business owners.
Known for his philanthropy, he led significant recovery efforts following the Christchurch earthquakes.
He famously auctioned a car-sized boulder that destroyed his home, raising $70,000 for the NZ Red Cross and established an 8-acre native reserve in the Port Hills to offset his company’s data centre emissions.
Specialising in building computer networks, CommArc was born in 1993, growing from a solo venture to more than 70 employees across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK.
In 2001, he launched a private cloud service with data centres in Auckland and Christchurch, and pioneered the use of RFID in New Zealand’s tourism industry.
In 2000, he co-founded Alchemy Group (now Stratos) and serves as chair.
Beyond IT, Johnson holds board roles in various sectors and remains deeply involved in IT through his businesses and voluntary mentorship. He is guided by a strong moral compass and a commitment to giving back.
Honour Roll
Vic Dickerson
After moving from South Africa, Vic Dickerson started Datastor in 1992 with his business partner, Gordon Stinson. He needed to fill half a shipping container left over from his belongings with computers and sold them out of his garage in New Zealand, and Datastor was born.
He was a true eccentric entrepreneur with a unique leadership style—but most importantly, he had generosity and a massive heart.
He loved helping people succeed, chose staff with the right attitude, and helped countless individuals from diverse backgrounds enter the IT industry and grow into great leaders.
Vic led by example. He sat on the trading floor, was often the first to answer the phones, and loved closing a sale. He reinvested all profits back into the business until selling it to Westcon in 2019.
From an industry perspective, Vic supported countless individuals when they truly needed it and helped companies navigate tough situations.
Many of the people he led remain in the business today, with several contributing to global projects. Vic continues to contribute to the IT industry through investments and informal advisory roles.
Tim Miles
With a career spanning decades of leadership, innovation, and impact across telecommunications, digital infrastructure, and enterprise IT, Tim Miles has been a transformative figure in New Zealand’s technology sector.
His career began at IBM, Data General Corporation, and Unisys. He rose to prominence as CEO of Vodafone New Zealand, later serving as CEO of Vodafone UK and Group CTO.
On his return to New Zealand, he lead PGG Wrightson before taking the helm at Spark Digital (formerly Gen-i) where he was instrumental in repositioning the company as a leading digital services provider, including overseeing the acquisition of Revera.
He has continued to shape the technology landscape through governance roles and serves as chair of Fortysouth Limited. He is also a non-executive director at Genesis Energy, chair of its Transformation & Technology Committee, and a director at oOh!media and Nyriad.
His board leadership reflects a deep understanding of technology’s role in business transformation, energy innovation, and digital infrastructure development. Tim’s influence spans both public and private sectors, and his strategic foresight continues to guide organisations through complex digital transitions.
Russell Hewitt
For more than 30 years, Russell Hewitt has been in leadership roles across the IT industry and continues to mentor and guide a range of people as they develop into the leaders of the future.
With roles in IBM through the 1980s, he was one of the first sales managers to bring the IBM PC to the NZ marketplace and establishing channel programs and business partners to drive sales activity.
He became the CEO of Computerland NZ with his leadership style and strategic thinking attracting admirable attention. The company was eventually acquired and incorporated into Gen-I and Spark.
In 2000 he became the chief executive of Compaq NZ and completed the local mergers of Tandem, Digital, and Hewlett Packard.
In 2004 he became CEO of Vodafone Australia and on returning to NZ in 2010 he was CEO of First Mobile and was appointed by Vodafone in 2011 to lead their mobile recovery in Christchurch following the devastating earthquake.
An active investor in NZ based companies, he has served on multiple boards and his inspiring leadership has left an indelible footprint in the NZ IT market.
