Channel Awards 2024 Q&A: Simon Williams, CEO of Trustmarque

Williams talks DEI successes, “heightened” cloud services and managed services, and the rise of hyperscalers

Number nine ranked VAR Trustmarque has landed its name on the shortlist for two trophies at this year’s CRN Channel Awards 2024.

A finalist for Public Sector Partner of the Year and Best DE&I Project/Initiative of The Year, Tustmarque’s strategies have certainly paid off.

To talk more about what the awards means to the group, CEO Simon Williams chats to CRN.

Why do you think awards like the Channel Awards matter?

Trustmarque Group is built on the strength of its people. Every quarter, we take pride in shouting about the personal victories of our colleagues in our Celebrating Success scheme.

By going one step further and showcasing their achievements externally, we not only give them the recognition they deserve within the channel but also create a strong sense of community, uniting everyone in celebrating each other's accomplishments.

What would winning this award mean to your company?

Winning would be the perfect culmination to an extraordinary year of growth. We are finalists in both PS Partner of the Year, and Best DEI Initiative, marking three significant milestones; the arrival of Chris Jones and our most successful PS quarter in our 40-year history, and the launch of our DEI network, Encircle.

The fact that both the Public Sector team and Encircle have made it to the final stage highlights the transformational shift within the business and reflects the success we've achieved this year.

What would you say is your company’s proudest achievement over the past year?

Making Trustmarque a better place for women and minority groups. In 2024, we launched the DEI Network, Encircle, addressed pay parity in our annual review, and introduced management training programs (LEAD and Aspire), and recently launched our Elevate mentorship scheme for women. These efforts increased diversity in senior roles, with women representing 36 per cent in March 2024, up from 32 per cent in April 2023.

What have been the biggest challenges of 2024 so far and how have you overcome them?

2024 has been the year of striking the balance between our well-known status as a highly accredited VAR, often a systems integrator, plus our status as the leading ‘Optimisation Partner’, working closely with our own IP proposition, Prism, as well as the Gartner Magic Quadrant leading Livingstone whom we acquired in 2023.

How have your people helped with that?

As well as being hand in glove with the latest developments from our strategic partners, like Microsoft, Cisco and IBM, launching a new L&D strategy has made way for ongoing training and development for our employees to ensure they are equipped with the latest skills and knowledge. We are investing in them and their ability to drive positive change through our mentorship programme.

How do you think the channel has changed over the past year and what changes do you think it still needs to make?

It’s changed for the better with heightened cloud services, managed services, and cybersecurity.

We are also seeing more push for hyperscaler marketplaces with Microsoft, and AWS before them.

Nonetheless, there is still a need for more investment in skills, improved support for SMEs, and wider adoption of AI and sustainable practices. To thrive, we must address these gaps and remain adaptable in the ever-changing tech landscape.

What do you see as the main opportunities for the channel in the coming year?

While AI appears to be everywhere, only a handful are effectively integrating and safeguarding it.

Trustmarque is committed to making a tangible impact for our customers in 2025 and delivering real value through AI.

We want to see AI making a real difference to the lives of citizens and communities through public services, as well as the FTSE 100 companies we are already working with.

How do you plan to capitalise on those opportunities?

Our chief innovation officer, and founder of Livingstone, Simon Leuty, will strengthen our AI strategy by mobilising an AI (centre of excellence).

This will bring together thought leaders and delivery teams from across the Trustmarque Group, bolstered by knowledge banks and continuous innovation investments from our strategic partners such as IBM and Microsoft.