Channel veteran Michael DePalma joined the OpenText Security team at the start of the year to build long-term channel opportunities for the typically enterprise-focused vendor. He shared more about his role and how he wants to see OpenText succeed in the market for its partners this year in an interview with Channel Insider.
DePalma brings channel experience to growing partner base
DePalma is a familiar face to many in the channel, having held sales leadership roles at Datto and then Kaseya over the past decade. To him, joining a vendor as they were just beginning to commit to the channel as a full model was too interesting to pass up.
“What excited me the most was the challenge,” DePalma said. “This is a cool opportunity to bring really powerful solutions to partners who might not have experienced us before. The number one question I still get is what does OpenText do, and I like that.”
As OpenText continues to build its recognition in the channel, DePalma says the blend of newness to partners and existing success is a winning combination.
“The fun part about this is that it feels a bit like a start-up in a way, but we have the backing of a very successful team that trusts us to be the advocates for partners and build what we need to be successful in the channel,” said DePalma.
Where OpenText sees an opportunity to grab market share in a crowded security market
It nearly goes without saying at this point that there are many companies offering various security solutions to partners and customers. As the demand for security services continues to grow, DePalma says what sets OpenText apart will be its commitment to what partners need.
“I really want partners to see us as the easiest channel vendor they’ll work with. We sell through RMMs and marketplaces, and you can come to us directly,” DePalma said. “Our goal is to make it as seamless as possible for partners to get what they need.”
OpenText’s suite of security solutions is only one component of its business, which also extends to a variety of cloud products and Microsoft-based offerings.
“It amazes me how many people don’t know we’re a Microsoft reseller,” said DePalma. “But outside of that even, we’re looking to talk to our partners and understand what their pain points are and what gaps we can fill for them and for their customers.”
EDR, AI, and collaboration: what MSPs and other partners can expect
Of course, AI is also top of mind for DePalma and his team as partners continue to identify how to support demand while retaining value and driving revenue forward. OpenText’s channel partners receive training and guidance on Microsoft Copilot adoption and how to build long-term revenue in this new era of services and solutions.
“For us, the goal is trying to support partners in thinking about AI two ways: how it will help you internally, and how you can make revenue off it with your clients,” DePalma said.
As agentic and generative AI promise efficiency gains and automation capabilities across every vertical and job role, some MSPs are beginning to wonder if these new advancements will render their services obsolete. To DePalma, though, the demand for personal touch and human-led expertise isn’t going anywhere.
“At the end of the day, it’s still more efficient to leverage an expert, and we want to enable partners to be prepared and realize the opportunities,” DePalma said. “This wave of technology is accelerating so fast that more partners are realizing they need to get ahead.”
DePalma also wants to see the channel, in his words, return to a past iteration in which collaboration was the name of the game for partners and vendors alike.
“MSPs want more vendors working together, and we want to lead that charge,” DePalma said. “If we can be at the forefront of more collaboration, I think other vendors will realize they need to do that to stay competitive.”
Last year, OpenText announced a partnership with Secure Code Warrior. Revisit our coverage of how the partnership delivers app security through platform integration.