MSP London Roadshow: collaboration, debate and best practice in uncertain times

In an industry defined by rapid change, the importance of community within the MSP channel continues to grow. Progress increasingly depends on shared learning, open discussion, and practical exchange across peers, vendors, and partners. That context set the tone for the MSP Channel Insights Roadshow held on 2 June at the Conrad London St James Hotel in Westminster. The day brought together MSP leaders, distributors and vendors for a structured programme of panels, roundtables, and networking. It was framed around collaboration, with a focus on real-world challenges and the strategies MSPs are using to respond to them.

Nutbourne: candid reflections on the challenges and wins of business growth

The opening fireside chat featured Patrick Burgess and Marcus Evans of Nutbourne. They discussed what it takes to build and run a successful MSP, covering key milestones, operational realities, and leadership decisions that shape the direction of a business.

What stood out most was how candid and open both speakers were about the realities of starting and growing a company. Rather than presenting a polished success narrative, they were direct about setbacks, early uncertainty, and the ongoing pressures that come with scale. Their honesty gave the session a grounded, relatable tone often missing from formal industry discussions. As they put it, their business growth was “a complete rebuild of the car while it was driving seventy miles an hour.”

The discussion also highlighted how deliberately workplace culture must be shaped rather than left to evolve by default. They spoke about their move to a fully remote model and how it has influenced collaboration, communication, and trust across the team. Customer relationships remained a consistent theme, with both speakers emphasising that staying close to client needs becomes harder as a business grows but remains essential to long-term success.

Several practical themes emerged around how the business has evolved its operating model. They spoke about refining their client base by focusing only on organisations that align with their culture and values, which has strengthened overall engagement dynamics. They also highlighted the importance of leaning on a wider ecosystem to improve decision-making across the business.

Talent strategy was another key point, particularly the decision to expand recruitment beyond London and tap into international talent to address local constraints and support scalable growth. A clear mindset shift underpinned the conversation: problems are inevitable in growth, and success depends on persistence, adaptability, and working through challenges rather than avoiding them.

Cybersecurity and resilience in an AI-driven environment

The first panel session focused on cybersecurity and resilience, bringing together Dean Ellerby of Robopack, Madalina Cristea of OneAdvanced, and Paul Mardling of Redcentric. Together they explored how MSPs are responding to an increasingly complex threat landscape, where AI is simultaneously strengthening defensive capabilities and enabling more sophisticated attack methods.

A key part of the discussion centred on the dual impact of AI in cybersecurity operations. While it is improving detection, automation, and incident response, it is also lowering the barrier for adversaries, enabling more convincing attacks. This tension is increasingly shaping how MSPs design and deliver security services, pushing them toward more intelligence-led approaches.

A key point from Dean Ellerby sharpened the conversation around breach reporting and what it may actually represent in practice, particularly in relation to how organisations define and record incidents: “It's the twenty five percent that worries me because 'breach' in the context of that report is anything from a phishing email clicked through to full compromise. So, the ones who didn't report anything probably aren't looking hard enough.”

His comment highlighted a wider concern raised throughout the panel that improvements in headline figures may conceal inconsistencies in detection and reporting, underscoring the need for greater transparency and more consistent measures of resilience across the sector.

Smarter sales and marketing in a competitive market

The second panel addressed sales and marketing strategies in an increasingly crowded MSP landscape, moderated by Melanie Unwin of Mogrify and featuring Ben Chesterman of OpenText, Graham Stead of Growth Habits, Ian Platt of Robopack, Nikki Laker of Opus Technology, and Tom Marwood of Westcoast Cloud. The discussion explored how MSPs are working to differentiate themselves beyond traditional service offerings, including the use of data in decision-making, the role of AI in marketing, and the growing importance of vertical specialisation.

A key theme of debate was whether MSPs need to remain highly niche to succeed or whether they should broaden their offerings to capture wider market opportunities. This reflected the ongoing balancing act across the sector. Across both perspectives, there was agreement that the ability to build strong customer relationships and a distinct, authentic personality remains the most important factor for success. 

Roundtables: practical discussion and application

The roundtable sessions provided a more focused setting for detailed discussion. Delegates rotated through sponsor-led boardrooms covering topics such as distribution strategy, operational efficiency, and service optimisation.

Westcoast Cloud examined how distribution partners can support MSP growth planning toward 2026. OpenText discussed broader themes around strategic readiness and operational alignment. Robopack focused on endpoint management approaches designed to reduce complexity and support scalable service delivery. These sessions were largely practical in nature, with discussions centred on implementation challenges and ways to improve efficiency in day-to-day operations.

People, culture, recruitment and DEI

One of the more lively panels of the day focused on people, culture, recruitment, and DEI, moderated by Sophie Milburn of MSP Channel Insights. The panel included Marcus Evans of Nutbourne, Tom Marwood of Westcoast Cloud, Yvonne Matzk of Coachere, and Marc Sumner of Robertson Sumner.

The discussion explored how people strategy is becoming an increasingly important factor in MSP competitiveness. As services become more standardised, attracting and retaining talent is emerging as a key differentiator, with panellists highlighting that culture and hiring approach are now as strategically significant as technical capability.

A particularly strong thread running through the conversation was the importance of diversity in driving innovation and change across the channel. Panellists emphasised that bringing in people from outside traditional tech routes can challenge established thinking, introduce new perspectives, and ultimately strengthen creativity within organisations. While opinions varied, the discussion remained constructive and balanced, reflecting the complexity of building effective teams in a fast-moving and competitive sector.

M&A, investment and growth strategy

The final panel focused on mergers, acquisitions, and broader growth strategy. Moderated by Alex Wood, the session featured Jesse Harfield of FluidOne, Ken Roulston of Ex2 Consultancy, and Roy Shelton of Connectus Business Solutions.

The discussion covered factors that influence MSP valuation and investment interest, including recurring revenue, operational maturity, and scalability. Leadership capability and cultural stability were also identified as important considerations. Panellists also discussed different approaches to growth, from acquisition-led expansion to organic scaling. It was reiterated that success and growth are rarely linear. Running and scaling a business inevitably involves challenges and setbacks. Mistakes are unavoidable, but the ability to listen, learn, and adapt is what ultimately underpins long-term progress.

Closing reflections

Across the sessions, several consistent themes emerged, including the growing impact of AI, the increasing importance of cybersecurity, the evolving demands of compliance and responsibility, and the central role of people and culture in MSP success. While perspectives differed across panels, these differences contributed to richer discussions, reinforcing the value of hearing multiple viewpoints for a more rounded understanding of the challenges facing the sector.

As delegates left the Conrad London St James, conversations continued informally, reflecting the collaborative and open tone of the day. It was ultimately a day defined by connection and exchange, bringing together peers from across the channel to share opinions, challenge thinking, and compare best practice. The value of the event lay not only in the structured sessions themselves, but in the networking and dialogue that carried on throughout the day.

Looking ahead, the MSP Channel Insights Roadshow series continues with a full programme of events across Europe, building on the conversations and themes explored in London. Upcoming roadshows will take place in Munich on 6 October, Utrecht on 12 November, and Copenhagen on 24 November. 

For more information on the upcoming events, click here.