Infinigate Group has taken a strategic step by appointing James Baker as Regional Vice President of Cloud & Marketplace, a move aimed at accelerating growth in key areas and strengthening the value the wholesaler offers to the IT channel. This move is no coincidence: cloud and marketplaces have become transformation drivers for distributors and partners, and Baker arrives with the mission to scale these operations solidly.

A key opportunity for channel partners

Marco van Kalleveen, CEO of Infinigate Group, highlighted in a statement that cloud and marketplace areas represent "a key opportunity for our partners." With Baker's addition, the company seeks not only to scale these business lines but also to provide them with greater consistency and long-term vision. In a context where network security and cloud infrastructure are priorities, this appointment comes at the right time.

James Baker's profile: 26 years of experience in channel and SaaS

Baker is no newcomer to the technology ecosystem. With over 26 years of experience in the IT and SaaS channel, he has held leadership roles in sales, alliances, marketing, and management at resellers, distributors, and manufacturers. His most recent position was as Managing Director of Cloud Operations at Giacom, where he already demonstrated his ability to drive cloud businesses. Now, at Infinigate, he will lead the expansion of the Cloud & Marketplace catalog and value proposition across all regions where the group operates.

Strategy: cybersecurity consulting and advanced cloud solutions

Baker's plan includes working closely with manufacturers to integrate and expand the wholesaler's service offering, especially around expert cybersecurity consulting and advanced cloud solutions. This will enable partners to respond to the growing demand for managed services and develop new sustainable revenue streams. As seen in practical cases, such as how a logistics company secured its operations with VPNs and firewalls, the integration of security and cloud is a differentiating factor.

Impact on resellers, integrators, VARs, MSPs, and ISVs

Baker has noted that "there is a significant opportunity to help resellers, system integrators, VARs, MSPs, and ISVs build profitable and future-proof cloud businesses." This approach not only benefits traditional partners but also opens the door to new business models based on subscriptions and managed services, something already seen in sectors like education, for example, with student and financial management in swimming schools, where the cloud enables scaling operations.

Cloud and marketplace: strategic pillars for the channel

With this appointment, Infinigate reinforces its commitment to cloud and marketplace as strategic pillars to drive channel growth in the coming years. The company understands that digital transformation does not stop, and wholesalers must evolve to offer not only products but also platforms and services that add value. In an ecosystem where tools like Meta's Watermelon or observability solutions with OpenTelemetry and OpenSearch set trends, the bet on cloud is more relevant than ever.

Leadership that promises change

Baker's experience at Giacom and his track record in the channel make him the ideal person to lead this transformation. His focus on profitability and future readiness for partners will be key for Infinigate to maintain its position as a reference in value-added distribution. Undoubtedly, this move will have repercussions on how integrators and MSPs approach their cloud strategies, especially at a time when automation and code review are redefining the roles of SysAdmins and DevOps.

Original source: ComputerWorld. Analysis and adaptation by ForgeNEX.