Lakeside Software has announced the appointment of Mark Benson as channel director for EMEA, as the digital employee experience (DEX) software specialist looks to expand its partner ecosystem.

Benson will work alongside global partner director David Whiting to extend the company’s reach beyond its existing partnerships with global systems integrators (GSIs) and major service providers.

A seasoned industry leader, Benson brings extensive experience in developing technology ecosystems and distribution-led partnerships.

Prior to joining Lakeside, he served as head of Arrow ECS’ modern datacentre alliances for EMEA and ANZ and has previously held the role of chief technology officer at Logicalis UK.

His career has also included spells at Roc Technologies, Nexthink, 1E, Liquidware, and RES Software.

Expanding channel opportunities

In his new role, Benson and Whiting will work to engage a wider range of partners as Lakeside expands its channel operations around its DEX platform SysTrack.

Designed to deliver insights and automated resolutions using high-resolution, first-party telemetry, the solution provides organizations with visibility into their IT environments to help identify and tackle issues while reducing operational costs.

In an announcement, Lakeside global partner director David Whiting said the firm wants to build relationships that “create meaningful opportunities” for both partners and customers.

“For global systems integrators and major service providers, that means understanding their existing services and identifying where SysTrack can strengthen and differentiate what they take to market,” he explained.

“We want SysTrack to become an integral part of those solutions, supported by the expertise and insight Lakeside brings to the partnership.”

A revamped partner program for 2027

Alongside Benson’s appointment, Lakeside also revealed it is in the process of revamping its channel partner program and portal. Set to roll out early next year, the firm said its new-look initiative will introduce clearer objectives and incentives, while directing investment and support towards partners developing their propositions around SysTrack.

As AI-capable PCs continue to gain prominence, Lakeside said its platform can help partners advise customers on potential hardware upgrades and investment priorities, while using diagnostics and automation to reduce IT service management costs.

Additionally, partners can also leverage SysTrack to monitor shadow AI use across customer organizations, including identifying which tools are being used, potential security and data risks, and assessing the value of tools such as Microsoft Copilot.

Commenting on the revamp, Benson said Lakeside’s aim is to help partners tailor their propositions around modern customer challenges, rather than simply adding further technology to their portfolios.

“That means identifying where SysTrack can deliver tangible value, whether that is helping customers plan their AI PC strategy, reduce IT support costs or gain greater visibility into how AI is being used across the organisation,” he said.

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