News in the Channel - issue #17

HP NEIL MACDONALD INTERVIEW

The future’s bright For Neil MacDonald, HP’s channel director for the UK and Ireland, this is an exciting time for the industry, with plenty of opportunities for sales for the channel thanks to several factors and he believes that HP has a range of products to suit all needs.

Neil MacDonald, HP’s channel director for the UK and Ireland, is in a confident mood. Fresh from the HP Amplify Partner Conference 2024 in March in Las Vegas [see News in the Channel issue 16 for more], which saw a raft of new HP products launched with cutting edge technology, as well as improvements to its partner services, he is confident about the prospects for the company in the UK, but also for the wider channel. “It is an exciting time in the industry for various reasons such as the development of AI and the Windows 11 upgrade that's coming next year,” says Neil. “I am tremendously optimistic about the environment that we’re operating in at the moment in terms of the market potential. From HP’s standpoint, we’re really well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities that are coming up. “For instance, HP has got the broadest portfolio of products, including many that are AI-enabled. We have a completely new range of commercial print hardware as well to complement our portfolio.” Indeed, at the Amplify Conference, HP announced the launch of a range of AI-enabled PCs, including a new generation of AI HP Elite and Pro PCs, featuring Copilot in Windows7 and Windows 11 Pro8, and Z by HP mobile workstations. The solutions are equipped with AI capabilities powered by Intel® Core™ Ultra

5 and 7 processors or next-generation AMD Ryzen™ PRO processors with dedicated NPUs for tackling AI tasks with more personalised performance. HP Smart Sense is designed to automatically anticipate and adjust to individual PC usage behaviour, ensuring the best balance of performance and power. Channel engagement But as well as HP’s range of products, Neil adds that the company is well engaged with the channel. “We have some fantastic relationships with our channel partners,” he says. “We have great processes to work with them to optimise our performance as a business and theirs.” Neil adds that HP has been established in the UK for 50 years and has always been centred around building up the channel and developing close and long-term relationships with partner businesses. “We remain as focused on the channel now as we did then,” he says. “We are a leading vendor in terms of working with the channel, which is where more than 90% of our business is transacted. I’m very optimistic about what opportunities the market presents for us in the next couple of years. You couldn’t wish to be in a better industry right now.” Neil’s optimism is reflected in the wider channel, where positivity about the market

Neil MacDonald channel director, UK & Ireland

hp.com

I am tremendously optimistic about the environment that we’re operating in at the moment in terms of the market potential. “

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