INDUSTRY VIEW
CHARTING CHANNEL STRATEGIES FOR 2026: VALUE, SUSTAINABILITY AND SPECIALISATION WILL UNDERPIN SUCCESS
GEOFF GREENLAW, VP EMEA / LATAM CHANNEL, PURE STORAGE
As organisations move from AI strategy to real-world execution, the Middle East channel is set to play a defining role in turning innovation into measurable business outcomes. Geoff Greenlaw, VP EMEA / LatAm Channel, Pure Storage, tells us how partners can stay relevant in 2026 by leading on data sovereignty, delivering true service value and helping customers balance AI growth with sustainability and efficiency.
If 2025 was defined by organisations mapping their AI course, 2026 will be about navigating it, as organisations begin steering through the realities of AI in production, tightening compliance landscapes and the growing energy demands of digital infrastructure. As some of the true enablers of transformation, we can expect the Middle East’ s channel ecosystem to play a central role in organisations’ efforts to turn strategy into execution. But to maintain momentum and relevance, partners must align their business models and expertise with a few key trends.
Channel partners with data sovereignty expertise will lead the market
As governments tighten regulations and geopolitical uncertainty persists, data sovereignty has become a boardroom issue. Customers now demand assurance that their data is stored, managed and governed within the right jurisdictions, without risking service disruption or outside influence. The partners and resellers who thrive in 2026 will be those who invest in data sovereignty expertise, creating dedicated consultancies or practices who can advise on data sovereignty strategies, help customers navigate evolving regulations and deliver flexible deployment models, whether sovereign cloud, hybrid or multi-provider solutions. By combining compliance expertise with technical execution, these partners will not only protect customers from risk, but also unlock competitive advantage for their clients and build stronger relationships founded on trust.
Subscription services must evolve into true value propositions
The shift from Capex to Opex has already reshaped buying models, but in 2026, the focus is no longer on how customers pay, it’ s on what they actually receive and the distinctive value that partners can provide. The market has matured beyond the‘ everything-as-aservice’ buzz and buyers now draw a clear line between recurring billing and a genuine service.
With budgets under scrutiny and ROI under the microscope, vendors offering little more than a lease will quickly lose credibility. For partners, they want reassurance that they remain central to the customer experience in implementation and delivery. Pure Storage is the only storage vendor working 100 % through the channel and partners know they are essential. The company works in a truly collaborative way, delivering the best solutions for customers via SLA-backed services that drive real results.
Winning partners will deliver outcomes, not products
Technology investments in the coming year will be guided less by individual tools and more by the ability to achieve business-wide goals. Enterprises want solutions that address broad challenges, such as resilience against cyberthreats, progress towards sustainability or operational efficiency powered by AI, rather than point products that create silos and add complexity. The partners that stand out in 2026 will be those who design and deliver integrated, end-to-end solutions, often by drawing on strong alliances within the channel ecosystem.
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