Ignition Technology's MD: 'Exclusive is keeping us as we are. We've not gone away, we're bigger and stronger'

Peter Ledger shared an update on Ignition’s merger with Exclusive Networks, where the distributor plans to invest and his frustration with vendors 'hedging their bets'

UK and northern Europe specialist security VAD Ignition Technology has shared with CRN the group's investment and expansion plan in Europe for 2023.

The distributor has been on quite the consolidation journey since it was acquired by Exclusive Networks in July 2021.

Almost a year and a half post-acquisition, founder and managing director Peter Ledger provided an update on how the transition is going from Ignition's perspective.

"When a business is acquired people believe that it's just going to disappear, and especially when you look at how some large distributors acquire companies, they buy them, make operational efficiencies and they just take the portfolio," Ledger said.

"The ethos behind the whole acquisition, or the key parts as to why we decided to be acquired by Exclusive, was the fact that they keep us as we are.

"We were able to run as a completely separate organisation. We've kept the brand, we've run our own P&L, our own budgeting, but we do take the best bits of Exclusive."

He added:

"So for us, it's worked really well and obviously Exclusive have the DNA of bringing new and emerging tech to market over the last few years and they've reaped the rewards."

Going into detail about how becoming part of a multi-billion euro organisation has benefitted Ignition, Ledger said it's all about growth.

"It brings stability, scale and the opportunity to expand.

"That was the other reason behind this, not just to buy a UK and northern European business, it was to accelerate our growth and also at the same time, assist Exclusive because together it's quite a big force."

Where will Ignition Technology invest in 2023?

Ledger acknowledged the economic slowdown affecting organisations in a variety of industries, however, he believes in the resilience and significance of the security technology Ignition knows well.

"We're in a fortunate market that is certainly not invincible when it comes to what's happening, but I think it will still continue to grow."

Additionally, the distributor boss lifted the lid on Ignition's plans to invest in areas that are more opportunistic.

"At the moment I'm looking to align our resources into places that we're absolutely sure we'll get a return.

"I think this time we will absolutely be doubling down on the key growth areas, the things that made Ignition successful.

"Identity security is massive for us, as well as areas like XDR.

"And I think also for us is we've got a great core of vendors and a great proposition, but we're about new and emerging technology.

"We've looked at over two and a half thousand vendors over the last seven years.

"We continuously have this radar where we are constantly looking at what's coming through the trends, and the market. We've been quite fortunate in picking more winners than losers over the last seven years."

Continue reading to hear Peter Leger's frustrations with vendors, Ignition Technology's European channel strategy, and his message to the channel...

Ignition Technology's MD: 'Exclusive is keeping us as we are. We've not gone away, we're bigger and stronger'

Peter Ledger shared an update on Ignition’s merger with Exclusive Networks, where the distributor plans to invest and his frustration with vendors 'hedging their bets'

Vendors need to back the channel or go in another direction

On the topic of vendors, Ledger detailed his previous frustrations with vendors Ignition has worked with in the past.

"I've struggled with vendors who dip their toe in the channel and see it as a hobby," he told CRN.

"I just feel like they've got to back it and get behind it.

"We've had some vendors that have wanted direct business, single-tier business, a little bit of a two-tier business and you feel like they're hedging their bets.

"You're either all in or not with us. That's how we like to be."

EMEA channel plan

Ledger emphasised that Exclusive's acquisition of Ignition was not to continue doing what was already being done in the UK, the Nordics and Benelux.

Instead, he said his role involves rolling out Ignition into other regions across EMEA and beyond into APAC and the US.

"But it's one region at a time. I don't want us to spread ourselves too thin," he added.

"This year, we've rolled out Ignition into France and the Middle East. We'll be starting in DACH in Q1 next year and hopefully Southern Europe later in 2023."

The SaaS market is evolving

On what the distributor is finding challenging at the moment, Ledger highlighted the evolution of the market and in particular the SaaS world, which he said is moving more into security.

"It creates a huge opportunity but I think we need to all collaborate together and think a little bit outside of the box of the traditional way of thinking.

"There's a lot more ecosystems and partnerships that our partners should be thinking about and thinking wider to offer propositions to their customers.

"The hyperscalers coming to market more and more are making security more mainstream.

But it will always be a complex topic. So partnerships with local partners will always need to be there to put the glue together and build that relationship."

His message to the channel

Leaving the channel with his final message, Ledger hammered home the point that, although Ignition Technology is now part of Exclusive Networks, it hasn't disappeared.

"The headline I'd like to give to the channel on Ignition is we've not gone away. We are back, we're bigger and stronger than we've ever been.

"And we genuinely see ourselves for EMEA as the go-to company for new and emerging cybersecurity technologies with the largest cyber security distributor in the world."