“What’s interesting is that compliance naturally impacts other parts of the business. When you start doing a compliance assessment, gaps become apparent. Those gaps become requirements, and those requirements require solutions. So it actually drives additional revenue back to the MSP,” says David Weeks, head of N-able channels.
N-able is rethinking the way we deliver services to MSPs, which means we’ll be hitting the ground running in earnest in 2026.
Rather than anchoring its partner engagement strategy to a single flagship event in Europe, the Burlington, Massachusetts-based vendor takes a more distributed, hands-on approach that delivers messaging, training, and leadership directly to MSPs through roadshows across the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region.
“Our partners are very clear: They want us to meet them where they are,” David Weeks, N-able’s vice president of enterprise, told CRN. “So instead of expecting them to come to us, we go to them.”
Mr. Weeks is a long-time CRN Channel Chief, leading customer acquisition and growth across North America. He is currently based in London and oversees the same business units in the UK and EMEA regions.
He said this change in strategy reflects a recognition that MSPs are navigating an increasingly complex landscape driven by AI and compliance requirements.
In the field, this means more emphasis on technical depth and real-world application. Sessions will be designed to help engineers and technicians “get the most out of their tools” while also providing space for collaboration between colleagues. “No one has all the answers,” he said. “The answer is in the room.”
“The biggest question I get is not about building AI, but monetizing AI,” he said.
By meeting partners in their respective markets, N-able plans to forge closer connections while navigating regional nuances.
“We’re seeing more MSPs expanding globally, moving across regions and entering new markets,” Weeks said. “It’s really changing the dynamics of the industry.”
CRN also spoke with Weeks about the move to regional events, the challenges of AI monetization, and why compliance could be the next major revenue stream for the IT channel.
N-able is pivoting its strategy, moving from one large EMEA event to more regional roadshows. Why would we make such a change?
In reality, it’s about bringing Empower to the roads and spreading it to a wider area. The partners are very clear. They want us to meet them where we are, and this model really allows that. We can deliver the same message around the world and bring you all the Empower news, but we can do it locally. So instead of expecting them to come to us, we go to them.
If you’ve ever been to Empower, you’ll feel very nostalgic. You can see that the strategy, the roadmap… everything is carried over. However, we also layer in more practical elements. We conduct technical training sessions to help engineers and technicians get the most out of our tools. And of course delivering a broader message about what’s changing in the market, where we’re headed and how our partners can take advantage of it.
Do partner needs vary by region?
Yes and no. The core challenges are similar, but the circumstances change. A lot of it comes down to macroeconomic and microeconomic factors and the regulatory environment. For example, in the UK, a major cybersecurity and resilience bill will be introduced later this year that will directly impact MSPs. It’s not something you see anywhere else.
Historically, the MSP industry has been largely self-regulated and, let’s be honest, they’ve done a great job. But now there is more external involvement. And that will change the way MSPs sell, operate, and deliver to their customers. It’s definitely reshaping the landscape.
What are our UK partners saying specifically about AI and regulation?
In fact, this is very similar to what we’re hearing here in North America. Everyone hasn’t figured it out yet, we’re kind of in testing mode. We have very advanced partners who already have complete AI practices built out. However, most still try to avoid this problem.
And the biggest question I get isn’t about building AI, it’s about monetizing AI. Most companies already have people on their team who can develop something. The real challenge is how to commercialize it.
So how are some of these MSPs making money from AI today?
Currently, much of this is done through professional services such as consulting, implementation, and workflow building. Then, over time, these features are incorporated into recurring revenue contracts. But the bigger question is where will billing models go in the future? We still primarily use traditional managed services pricing. But will it evolve into a utility-based model of AI? That remains to be determined.
after that What are the biggest pain points for North American partners today?
One of the biggest is expanding into larger addressable markets – finding new growth opportunities. But across the board, whether in North America or elsewhere, two themes keep emerging: AI and cyber resilience.
The question MSPs always ask themselves is, “Are we doing enough for our customers when it comes to security?” Is there something missing? And that question is size agnostic…small and large providers are all asking the same question.
So How does N-able help partners address these concerns?
The key is education and support. Where there is concern, there is always opportunity. Our job is to help our partners identify that opportunity and figure out how to incorporate it into their practices and monetize it effectively. That’s where things like roadshows come in, with strategy sessions, technical training, and collaboration. Because honestly, no one has all the answers. The answer is inside the room. Things really start to fall into place when partners come together to share results.
What are your top priorities for the year ahead?
The big thing is the up-leveling of MSPs around compliance, especially compliance-as-a-service and GRC (governance, risk, and compliance). There’s a huge opportunity, but not enough MSPs are taking advantage of it. But whether they’re ready or not, they’re going to be caught up in it, and a lot of that pressure is going to come from the insurance industry.
So the focus is on helping partners build that capability, whether that means developing it in-house or bringing in the right expertise. What’s interesting is that compliance naturally impacts other parts of the business as well. Once you begin your compliance assessment, gaps will become apparent. Those gaps become requirements, and those requirements require solutions. So, the additional revenue actually goes back to the MSP.
Just as fractional CIOs have become popular, we’re also seeing partners implementing things like fractional compliance officers for their customers. This is a completely new service layer.
How should MSPs talk to customers about compliance?
Start the conversation early. There’s no need to wait until regulations come into effect before responding in a panic. At that point, you’re already late and someone else is probably knocking on the customer’s door.
The best approach is to get your customers ready now. Help them understand what is going to happen, what it means, and how to get through it.
Beyond AI and compliance, what trends are you currently paying attention to?
M&A activity is increasing, which is always interesting. We are seeing more MSPs expand globally, move across regions, and enter new markets. It is significantly changing the dynamics of the industry. And it’s not just traditional acquisitions anymore. Yes, MSPs are still acquiring other MSPs, but they are also making more strategic acquisitions, such as AI companies, GRC specialists, and bringing those capabilities in-house.
What do you think is driving its global expansion?
A combination of strategy and economics. In some cases, currency differences may actually be the driving force behind your decision-making. For example, a South African MSP may consider acquisitions in the UK or US to benefit from stronger currencies such as the pound or dollar. So it’s not just about growth, it’s also about financial status.
When it comes to AI, What do you want your partner to be like in 12 months?
I would like to see clear frameworks in place for both AI and governance. These two areas go hand in hand. And once you build that structure, it becomes much easier to monetize everything we’ve been talking about. That’s really our goal: to help our partners move from experimentation to structured, repeatable, and revenue-generating practices.
