When Bill Brandel talked about the pace of change inside Ingram Micro, he didn’t sound like an executive at a 45-year-old distribution giant. “Every day I feel like I’m working for a startup,” said Brandel, executive vice president and president for North America. “We’re moving at a speed I’ve never seen this company move.”
That speed is coming from the shift to a connected platform business and new AI capabilities inside Ingram’s Xvantage ecosystem. “We’re thought leaders in how to use AI and machine learning to drive differentiation and value,” he said. “It’s the most exciting thing I’ve been part of in my 28-year career.”
Feeding the Feedback Loop
Bill Brandel
For Brandel, Ingram Micro’s ONE event is a unique opportunity to collect unfiltered feedback. “I get to see how our vendors show up, how my team shows up, and how partners view us,” he said. “They give me great feedback about what they need to see from Ingram Micro.”
That feedback turns into action. Brandel meets directly with small and midsize partners, gathers data, and takes it back to internal teams. “We sit down with our SMB-focused group and ask, what are partners looking for? Where do they need us to double down?” he said. “Then we build a strategy and message it back to the community to say ‘We heard you.’”
Quinn Novak, executive director of marketing for Ingram Micro, said that communication continues through multiple channels. “It can be one-on-one, through campaigns, or at the next event,” she said. “We make sure to cast a wide net about improvements.”
“We used to take a shotgun approach,” Brandel added. “Now, through AI and machine learning, we can identify the partners and the messages they need to hear when they need to hear them.
“In the past, we didn’t have a fully connected experience. It was all disparate systems and disparate ways of communication,” he said. “Now we can drive a message across the entire ecosystem through the platform and point people to the improvements we’ve made.”
From Distributor to an Agentic-powered Platform
The same digital backbone that allows precise communication to partners is supporting Ingram’s push into agentic AI — systems that act autonomously based on goals and context. “Our ability to build agents that partners can leverage will be a key value add going forward,” Brandel said. “For SMBs that don’t have big budgets, we can invest in those capabilities, help them use them, scale with them, and continue to support them on the back end.”
He summed it up simply: “If I started my own MSP tomorrow, I’d immediately plug into the platform and maximize my usage of it.”
“Xvantage can help you scale in ways you didn’t know existed,” Novak reiterated. “We can flex to any size company and fill gaps in their portfolio.”
Security Lessons Learned
Brandel addressed the company’s cyberattack earlier in the year and the lessons it now shares with partners. “It’s not really a matter of if, but when,” he said. “The threat actors are everywhere, and they’re getting far more sophisticated. A lot of SMBs think, well, we’re not really at risk. I can tell you right now, everyone is at risk.”
He said Ingram Micro’s response team moved quickly. “We were able to recover in about two days, able to support our customers again,” he said. “It is one of the fastest recoveries I’ve ever seen during my time in the industry.”
That experience, he said, inspired the company to help others prepare. “If we have that level of expertise and we can build a playbook to help people understand at least what steps they should take, how they should be prepared, I think that’s a great value in this industry,” Brandel said. “We’ve been pretty open with it because we don’t want to see anyone go through what we went through. It is a very scary and humbling experience.”
The 2026 Focus: People, Process, Platform
Quinn Novak
Looking ahead to 2026, Brandel said his priorities revolve around three words: people, process, and platform. “Those three aspects of our business are what keep me up every single night.”
He emphasized that technology can’t replace human connection. “People think AI is going to come in and replace people. But it can’t.” Brandel said. “It cannot give the personal experience that people need.” The goal is to empower Ingram’s employees and MSP partners with AI so they can have more consultative conversations with their customers.
Brandel’s second focus is process improvement. “Think of the complexity in putting together four different OEM solutions on an order. We’re fixing that by automating, simplifying, and creating repeatable solutions that make it easier for partners to serve customers.”
Finally, Brandel pointed to the platform as the company’s engine for innovation and agility. “As we continue to unveil new options and functionality, it only enhances what the platform already does today,” he said. “You might go on the platform today and think it doesn’t do something. Try back in a couple of days, and it will.”
That constant evolution, fueled by feedback and collaboration, defines how Ingram Micro plans to drive growth in 2026 and beyond.
Elevating Partner Conversations
Brandel believes MSPs must evolve from technology providers to true business advisors. “Customer experience is the new value prop,” he said. “When you look at the most successful companies, it’s the experience people have working with them. That’s why they go back.”
He urged MSPs to understand how decisions are made across lines of business. “They need to gain the trust of business leaders, not just IT,” he said. “That’s how you deliver a differentiated experience.”
Novak added that Ingram supports that journey with enablement, training, and services “to help partners grow together and unlock new offerings.”
“Keep the Faith”
Despite global uncertainty and economic headwinds, Brandel’s message to MSPs was simple. “Keep the faith,” he said. “We see trends ahead of the curve. We talk to OEMs, to leadership teams around the world, and we share that view with our partners. If you’re unsure, pick up the phone and call Ingram.”
He smiled when asked what MSPs should focus on next year. “Evaluate your options,” he said. “Find who’s bringing a true digital connected experience. Then plug in.”
Novak agreed: “AI is creating a tsunami of opportunity. Don’t wait until 2026 — start now.”
Jonathan Browning is executive director of content and engagement for The ChannelPro Network. He has been a leader in the IT channel for close to a decade and he’s an avid fan and early adopter of technology. He believes that the Managed Services industry is the most important driver of economic growth and human innovation on earth.
Images: Jonathan Browning / The ChannelPro Network
