JUDGES 2024

Business Transformation Director
Softcat
Head of Professional Services UK&I
AWS

Amanda is a 30-year IT veteran starting her career in South Africa. She has worked for a variety of IT vendors including Unisys, Visio, Microsoft and SAP in a variety of customer and partner facing roles across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Amanda joined AWS in 2019 where she has held several positions including EMEA Partner lead and UKI SMB Lead, today she leads the UKI ProServe team supporting customers to reimagine their business go to markets and digital strategy.

GM, Device Partner Sales UK
Microsoft Corporation

Anjana is the Device Partner Sales Lead for UK at Microsoft. She leads the organization that works with our partners’ ecosystem such as OEMs, Distributors, Resellers & SI's to build and sell Devices and Services that enable corporations, consumers and students realize their full potential in the Digital Economy. She has end to end P&L responsibility, strategy, planning and people management. She enjoys going after new opportunities or solving business problems - together with the amazing network of channel partners, whilst building and mentoring her team to ensure that everyone is energized to do their best work! Before Microsoft Anjana worked at Lenovo across multiple positions across marketing, sales and operations. In Lenovo, Anjana helped launch Lenovo’s YOGA & Legion franchises which have since gone on to global dominance. She also helmed marketing for the Android & Chrome Groups, leading several product launches including the Yoga Book, a product which netted 31 industry-award wins from top ranked media publications and inspired the prestigious tech industry website Tom’s Guide to proclaim Lenovo as the most innovative company of the year. Anjana began her career as an architect, and holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore. On a personal note, she currently lives in London with her family, her partner Milko and super active 6 year old son Max.

Regional Director - UK and Ireland
Kingston Technology
EMEA Channel Director
Cequence Security

Bruce is an IT channel leader with over 27 years channel experience. A technology evangelist and innovator, Bruce has worked with both new market entrants and established vendors to drive channel adoption for their solutions. A channel awards judge for 12 years and CRN A-lister, he is passionate about the channel and the value it delivers.

Managing Director
Open & Informed Ltd

Carl has worked in the IT and Market Research industry for over 20 years, he worked in distribution, reseller, vendor and market research businesses. Currently Carl is running his own business helping companies get market insight ready. Carl has been a judge for CRN Channel Awards for over 10 years.

Cloud Sales General Manager
TD SYNNEX
Owner
MCC International

Gina founded her first agency MCC International in her early 20s and grew it to be one of the UK’s largest regional consultancies before moving on to set up a successful PR division at WLM.Digital where she was co-owner and Communications Director for 7 years. Now back into consultancy, she’s working with a great team of freelancers and global partner agencies, offering a wider range of services to clients and drawing on the knowledge she’s built up over the past 30 years. Gina spends a lot of time mentoring and training and her hands on, tell it how it is approach to managing clients’ expectations has never changed. Journalists know what to expect from her and she’s built up some great contacts during her career. Humour and an abhorrence of pretentiousness have always stood her in good stead and she’s currently enjoying her third time round the working wheel.

Co-founder
Tech Channel Ambassadors

Ian is a co-founder of Tech Channel Ambassadors a CIC established to drive awareness, strategic growth, and increase diversity of the IT channel. They support companies and individuals to visit schools and inspire the tens of thousands of youngsters who currently self-exclude often from as young as 11 from the IT channel, because of lack of awareness of the opportunities and misunderstanding of the entrance requirements. Ian is also advisor on the AAT digital advisory panel. Prior to that Ian was the founder of the international Wick Hill Group and Director of Nuvias Group (acquired by Infinigate).

Cybervantage

Ian brings over two decades of industry expertise, with 15 years dedicated to cybersecurity and a decade within the IT Channel. His passion lies in integrating people with technology solutions and services, ensuring service excellence at every step. Nearly a decade ago, Ian founded a multi-award-winning cyber services provider, setting new standards within the industry. This journey culminated in a strategic acquisition, transforming their business into a market-leading Security Operations Centre (SOC), offering Cyber Managed Services, Consultancy, and Technology Resale. Ian's holistic approach, coupled with his expertise in Strategy, Planning, Sales Leadership, and Business Management, positions him as a trusted advisor for Channel Partners and MSSPs seeking to navigate the complexities of the cybersecurity landscape. As a proud business consultant, Ian is pushing boundaries in leadership, cybersecurity, and the IT channel. Ian guides organisations through technology and cybersecurity challenges, providing strategic insights, sales leadership expertise, and tailored growth plans.

consultant

John is a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of experience in building and growing businesses. He has a proven track record of success in the private equity, technology, and manufacturing sectors. In his previous role, John was the CEO of a private equity-backed UK technology company. He led the company through a period of rapid growth, increasing sales by 200% in three years. Prior to that, John was the Vice President of Sales for a $1 billion American technology company in Europe. He was responsible for leading a team of 100 sales professionals and generating over $500 million in annual revenue. John is also a regular member of the CRN Awards judging team. He is always impressed by the innovation evident in many of the shortlisted companies. Today, John is a coach and mentor to senior leadership teams who want to improve the commercial performance of their businesses. He is passionate about helping businesses achieve their goals and helping people reach their full potential.

Group Sales Director – Distribution
CI-Distribution

Jon is an accomplished commercial and sales leader. As a well-known figure in the channel, Jon prides himself on building and maintaining excellent and productive relationships with key customers and suppliers. As a driving force for commercial performance within leading technology businesses over the past two decades, Jon’s passion for the channel and technology products is evident and supports CI-D’s continued growth and success. Growing CI-D into the largest Client Rugged and Gaming  distributor, not just in the UK, but across the whole of Europe has been a career highlight for Jon who was previously Director of the PCA – (Professional Computer Association) and Games AID. Jon is actively involved in supporting charity events in the sector.. In his own time, Jon is passionate about West Bromwich Albion FC and all things Golf. Winner of PCR Awards personality of the year 2013, Network Group Chairman’s Award 2015, Synaxon Personality of the year 2010.

Vice president, Business partners UK and Ireland
IBM – Resellers

June retired from her IBM role as European Healthcare and Life Sciences Business Development Director in 2019. She held this leadership position since January 2016 and she and her team delivered higher value solutions into the European Healthcare sector. Prior to this June led the Healthcare Business for the UK and Ireland for three years where her team delivered significant growth in this sector for IBM. From January 2009 June was Sales Director within IBM’s Global Business Partner Organisation where she led a group of around 30 people responsible for delivering challenging business growth objectives. Her team managed and developed long-term business partner relationships resulting in increased revenue, profitability and customer satisfaction for IBM and its Business Partners. Prior to this June was the Director of Public Sector for IBM’s Systems and Technology Group where her team grew IBM’s business significantly. June originates from Glasgow and is actively involved in external programmes which promote Science, Engineering and Technology as potential career options for girls. June was a member of IBM UK Women’s Leadership Team responsible for the development and execution of the gender diversity agenda for IBM in the UK. June trained as a vaccinator during the COVID 19 pandemic and worked for her former client, the NHS! She now Chairs the Institute of Health and Social Care Management’s (IHSCM) Digital Health Board and is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Marketing Committee. June lives in Surrey with her husband and their four daughters.

Managing Director
Channel Edge

Founded Channel Edge, a premium channel engagement partner, in 2019 following years of extensive, award-winning success in the IT channel. Additionally, joined Rejoose in 2024 to bring ground-breaking carbon emissions data and reporting to the global IT channel. I live in Hampshire with my fiancée, Sarah, our beautiful daughter, Daisy and Bruce… the dog! Older kids Paige, Ty and Jake, fitness, golf, rugby, music and travel keep me motivated.

CEO
e92plus

Mukesh Gupta co-founded e92plus in 1989, and continues to lead the organisation as Chief Executive. e92plus is a cybersecurity specialist, and Mukesh has played a pivotal role in driving the launch of new products and technologies via e92plus to the UK channel over the past 30 years, most noticeably accelerating start-up vendors and growing the partner community and revenues for established brands. e92plus have established themselves as one of the most respected and innovative value-added distributors in the channel while remaining one of the last independent VADs, introducing new services and initiatives to help drive their customers’ business and provide extensive sales, marketing and technical support. e92plus have enjoyed significant growth of over 500% in the past 9 years with record turnover figures, with the company winning multiple channel, vendor and partner. Mukesh has a BSc Honours in Mathematics, Statistics and Economics.

MD UK & Ireland
HP Inc
CEO
Media Mantra Ltd

Paul Briggs is currently the Director of Global Corporate Development at Anteriad. Formerly, BNZSA provides sales and marketing services to IT vendors, Distributors, System Integrators, Resellers and Managed Service Providers that range from end user lead generation, programmatic advertising, and Account Based Marketing, to providing outsourced Business Development and Sales Development representatives. As a former IT journalist, editor and publisher, Briggs started his IT journalism career at APT’s Computer Business Review as a staff writer. He then moved to VNU’s flagship IT title, Computing as reporter. After a stint as the Online Business Editor for PC Direct at Ziff Davis, he moved to be part of the launch team of IT Week also published by Ziff Davis. In 1998, Briggs joined CMP’s Computer Reseller News as its news editor in 1998 and became editor in 2000, then published by VNU. After a tenure of nearly six years, Briggs moved on to become the Online Publisher of VNU Business Publications. He then moved to IDG, now Foundry, to launch ComputerWorld as its Publisher and also as the publisher of TechWorld in 2007. Briggs became the Group Publisher of the technology division at Reed Business International in 2008, that included responsibility for another channel publication, Microscope, now part of Tech Target as well as Computer Weekly and Electronics Weekly. In May 2011, Briggs founded and launched his consultancy business, Media Mantra Ltd with a handful of clients, including Madison Logic. As the Madison business flourished Briggs joined Madison Logic full time as its International General Manager, where he expanded the business into APAC. After eight years in the role, Briggs chose to do a similar incubation role for Selling Simplified, now part of Foundry. In July 2021, Briggs joined BNZSA a company he partnered with while at Madison Logic, which was acquired by Anteriad in April 2023.

MD
CapametriX

Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of CapametriX, Sandrijn has been the driving force behind the company’s growth and global expansion. Prior to founding CapametriX, Sandrijn ran global sales and marketing for both Virtual Computer and Reflex Security as EVP. He also held senior positions in EMEA at companies including ProofPoint, CipherTrust and Netscreen covering Channel, Direct Sales and OEM business units. Sandrijn brings a wealth of Sales and Marketing experience from his career working with channel partners of all shapes and sizes from every corner of the planet. He also extends his business experience with years of working in other industries with a number of charitable positions, board seats and supporting roles in retail, education, local government and creative markets.

Managing Director
Meredith Consulting

Simon Meredith has been writing about IT and business for more than 30 years. He worked on the launch of PC Dealer in 1986 and later helped establish CRN as the leading channel business title in the UK. Simon lives in Shrewsbury, has three grown-up children and is a keen runner.

Sr Director
NetApp UKI Partners

Sonya Mathieu is a trailblazer in the tech industry, known for her innovative leadership and strategic vision. As the Channel Lead for NetApp's UK&I business, she plays a crucial role in transforming the company into a hybrid cloud leader in the UK&I market. Her expertise in multi-cloud solutions, hybrid cloud storage, and cloud data services has been honed over a successful career, which includes a tenure at Dell Technologies UK&I, where she was the UK Director leading Data Protection and Cyber Resilience. Her unwavering commitment to excellence and her ability to inspire and empower her team are driving NetApp's transformation and positioning the company as a leading provider of cutting-edge cloud data solutions.

Coachere Ltd

Yvonne has had a successful sales and leadership career in the technology industry for over 25 years. Her most recent position was Director of Partners & Marketing at CDW, where she was responsible for their Strategic Partners and Marketing for the UK and internationally. Yvonne has been a member of numerous Partner Advisory Boards and is a champion of initiatives helping young women into IT. She judges the CRN Women in Channel Awards and is featured on CRN’s A-List. Now a Worldwide Association of Business Coaches™ (WABC™) Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™), motivated by making a difference, Yvonne founded Coachere, a coaching and consulting business focusing on talent development within the IT channel. In addition, Yvonne founded The Channel Community to connect like-minded people across the IT channel to help individuals reach their full potential through free-of-charge mentoring and offering advice and support on channel-specific issues. Yvonne is also a devoted mother to Alexia, happily married to Rob, and, in her spare time, enjoys running, playing tennis, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.