Channel Brief: TD SYNNEX Launches AI Innovation Studio With IBM

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, as the saying goes.

And nowhere is this more true than when onboarding new clients as an IT service provider. Forbes's expert panel outlines some solid best practices to make sure you are making the process as simple, efficient and painless as possible.

From engagement to expectations to training, feedback, integrations and more, the way you handle this critical step sets the tone for the rest of the relationship -- and can mean the different between a long-term client and one who looks for other options at their first opportunity. Check out the advice here.

As always, drop me a line at [email protected] if you have news to share or want to say hi!

Grab your coffee. Here's what you need to know today.

Today’s Tech, Channel and MSP News

1. TD SYNNEX launches innovation studio with IBM: TD SYNNEX announced this week it has established its first North American Innovation Studio with IBM to support AI enablement around IBM’s watsonx platform. The studio is a strategic part of TD SYNNEX’s Destination AI initiative alongside its IBM watsonx Gold 100 program, and now provides a dedicated physical space for TD SYNNEX partners to leverage throughout their AI adoption and monetization journey.

2. Acronis names new CISO: Acronis has named Gerald Beuchelt as its new CISO. Beuchelt has over a decade of leadership experience in cybersecurity. His most recent role was as CISO at Sprinklr Inc. and he has also held prior positions at LogMeIn. At Acronis, he will oversee the company’s corporate IT infrastructure including help desk operations, server and network management. He will also be an integral member of the company’s security research team, Acronis TRU (Threat Research Unit). Congratulations!

3. Intregris announces legal practice:  IT managed service provider Integris launched a legal practice dedicated to providing law firms specialized IT support, the company said in a statement. The practice will provide law firms with comprehensive and strategic IT solutions catered to the industry’s cybersecurity and compliance needs. This practice now offers “Empower Legal”- a subset of Integris’ comprehensive service package, “Empower.”

4. The 20 MSP launches strategic partnership with N-able: MSP platform company The 20 MSP announced this week a new strategic partnership with MSP software and services company N-able. This collaboration will broaden The 20’s offerings and service capabilities, while empowering member MSPs using N-able tools to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and unlock new growth opportunities, the companies said. A key element of the partnership is N-able's Cove Data Protection, which The 20 will now offer as part of its standard security stack.

5. Ex-Microsoft exec heads to Google: Google has hired Maureen Costello, a Microsoft and Accenture veteran, to the role of Vice President for UK, Ireland, and Sub-Saharan Africa regions, The Register reports. Costello was previously at Microsoft, where she ran the industry solution team (including working on AI transformation, which has become a key focus) and before that spent nearly 25 years at Accenture, where she served as Senior Managing Director and Resources Lead for the UK and Ireland. Congrats! (Or should we say, 'Cheers'?)

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